Issue 212

TOPIC: ISSUE212 - "If a goal is worthy, then any means taken to attain it is justifiable."

WORDS: 568 TIME: 00:45:00 DATE: 2008-4-8 16:19:46

This statement asserts that any method to fulfill a target is justifiable, provided that the target is of value. I concede that in many cases one should try his or her best and makes tools of every potential condition to achieve inner object of the person. However, before one takes any practical action to approach personal or private ideal, he or she has to take into account a myriad of sociological and political factors--such as morality, feasibility, conscience, etc.

Admittedly, one may be encouraged to achieve a worthwhile goal, no matter which means is adopted. This is especially true when the goal would bring to society great value and substantial material or mental benefits. Consider Edison, an inventor of America, who patented for more than one thousand inventions, including microphone, phonograph, incandescent lamp, to name just a few. Since incandescent lamp would enable humans to commit various sorts of actions--such as researching, reading, and studying, any one would agree that it was inerrant for Edison to bring the lamp to real world. In effect, Edison had attempted to use many differing materials before he eventually discovered that the element W is the most appropriate. Therefore, in the realm of sciences, scientists are frequently encouraged to take all kinds of research means. Besides, government sometimes even provides additional material resources and financial resources.

However, when it comes to the area of politics, whether to adopt a variety of methods to accomplish the goals of politic leaders is quite questionable. Fist of all, a goal that some specific public officials believe is great may be reckoned as meaningless or even anti-social one. For instance, the Nazism was deeply believed by Hitler and was advocated by many adherents in that time. In order to realize racist nationalism, Nazis carried out several policies, including national expansion, state control of economy, and so on. Nevertheless, any means taken to attain Hitler's thought should be banned and fought back. In addition, in physics, for example, the perpetual machine was once considered to be a unifying goal in physics, and a few physicists were devoted to manufacturing such a machine. In this case, any effort will surely fail, since the machine violates the law of conversation of energy. Thus, any way that defies natural laws ought to be abandoned.

Yet on balance, when it comes to determine a means which aims to fulfill a certain goal is justifiable or not should be based on some criteria--for example, morality, sciences and feasibility. Generally speaking, people are supposed to take everything available to accomplish a goal, on condition that the goal is realistic and means taken are morally and ethically correct. Consider the process that Homer wrote his most noble works--Iliad and Odyssey which describe famous wars of ancient Greek. Homer did his most work on addition, expurgation and modification on the achievements of others. However, if a professor today utilized others' scientific outcomes without authority, this professor is likely to commit the crime of plagiary. Then, mores is the fist factor to be though before choosing a available way.

In summary, albeit a special goal is appealing for us, we must comply with prevailing ethics in our societal life and guarantee that actions we adopt obey laws of both sciences and politics. Furthermore, due morality and laws are changing with the advancement of humans, we are required to keep our mores and notions abreast of mainstream.