Myth: The end doesn't justify the means.

Fact: Life would come to a stop if people tried to obey this rule.



Summary

It is virtually impossible to go through a day without using a negative mean to achieve a positive end.



Argument

This is one of the worst pieces of logic you'll find anywhere, in this debate or any other. In reality, the end frequently justifies the means.

Normally we would be opposed to cutting up someone with a knife. Yet we condone the goals of a surgeon who does exactly that.

Normally we would be opposed to killing a person. Yet we condone the goals of a self-defender who does exactly that.

Normally we would be opposed to poisoning someone with a deadly virus. Yet we condone the goals of a vaccination nurse who does exactly that.

Similar examples gleaned from real life are too numerous to mention. Opposed to inflicting pain on anyone? Then your aerobics instructor is guilty of sin. Opposed to depriving anyone of their freedom? Then your county jailer is a tyrant. Opposed to lying to anyone? Then you can never bluff in poker.

As far as affirmative action goes, most liberals justify the means (affirmative action goals) to achieve a desirable end (justice for harmful racial discrimination). Conservatives might argue that hiring goals are the wrong way to go about correcting racial discrimination, or that such discrimination doesn't exist, or at least is not harmful. But what they can't argue is that the end doesn't justify the means.

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