I see what you’re saying, that there are two cases. One where the ends is the goal of the person who used the means, and one where the ends is not the goal of the person who used the means. I only mentioned the latter in my comment.
But from my perspective, if the stabber purely intended to uncover cancer, and for some reason they actually had the expertise and knowledge to know that that specific person had cancer, and this was somehow the only way to prove it, then the action itself is inherently altruistic. From my perspective, it wouldn’t be less altruistic even if the person turned out not to have cancer. So, I don’t think it would count as the ends justifying the means.
If the same stabber, with the same expertise and knowledge, actually had multiple ways of achieving the ends, like they could have talked about it rather than stabbing, but they chose the stabbing route, then I think you can’t say that the stabbing was justified, regardless of whether the cancer was discovered.
There may be other cases worth digging into. I’m sure there are lots of examples I didn’t think of, but I’d be surprised if they were convincing to me. The reason is that, my experience has taught me that good ends are most predictably the results of just and informed actions.
I agree with you, but I think your example is lacking as the stabber purely intended to mug and not uncover cancer.
I see what you’re saying, that there are two cases. One where the ends is the goal of the person who used the means, and one where the ends is not the goal of the person who used the means. I only mentioned the latter in my comment.
But from my perspective, if the stabber purely intended to uncover cancer, and for some reason they actually had the expertise and knowledge to know that that specific person had cancer, and this was somehow the only way to prove it, then the action itself is inherently altruistic. From my perspective, it wouldn’t be less altruistic even if the person turned out not to have cancer. So, I don’t think it would count as the ends justifying the means.
If the same stabber, with the same expertise and knowledge, actually had multiple ways of achieving the ends, like they could have talked about it rather than stabbing, but they chose the stabbing route, then I think you can’t say that the stabbing was justified, regardless of whether the cancer was discovered.
There may be other cases worth digging into. I’m sure there are lots of examples I didn’t think of, but I’d be surprised if they were convincing to me. The reason is that, my experience has taught me that good ends are most predictably the results of just and informed actions.
well put