It depends on the situation. Lets just say that you lie to
a child to keep them safe, than the end justify the means. For example, my
mother told my 2 year old brother that a monster lives in the attic so he
wouldn’t go up there. True, she did the immoral thing and lied, but she had a
good reason- keeping her child safe. There have been many cases of children
going up into the attic and getting hurt.
A time when the ends do not justify the means is revenge killing. Instead of
settling things in a courtroom someone goes and kills the perpetrator because
he doesn’t believe that the justice system doled out adequate punishment or
loses control.
The ties to Code Geass: Was Suzaku right in trying to bring peace by working
within the system or was Lelouch way of terrorism the better course? I’m not
condoning terrorism but Leouch way allowed him to change the world without
being bogged down by rules, regulations, and procedures. It’s also a much
faster way but that doesn’t change the fact that terrorism, no matter what the
purpose, is immoral.
That brings into question whether the Revolutionary
War was the work of colonial terrorist? Let’s face it, the Boston Tea
Party, The Declaration of Independence, and the many battles fought were all
acts of terrorism but we still glorify it, making stories, movies,
documentaries, statues, and even college courses solely based on the
Revolutionary War.
This begs the question, if freedom is the end, are causing public disturbances
(eps. 4 The Orange Incident), killing solders and causing emotional harm to
there families (eps. 13 Shirley and her Father), killing innocent people (eps.
23 Euphy), and assassinations (eps. 2 Clovis) justified? True, it created a
better world with no oppression, but was the ends justified by the means?
