A friend of mine asks, "What is the moral value of someone essentially good, who does evil actions, based on evil/corrupt/confused intentions, and yet have his actions actually be good, despite the intent? (And can you translate that?) I may develop this later into a more cogent essay, but in the meantime, I'm posting my response to him here, mostly so I can remember it and find it later.
Someone essentially good (i.e., loves children) who commits evil actions (broadcasts Barney and Elmo TV specials), based on evil/corrupt/confused intentions (plans to warp children into mindless zombies/hopes to make a fortune through licensing deals/things it might be educational), and yet his his actions actually be good (children develop an appreciation for fine music and literature)?
I would say the moral value of the person lies more in the intentions than in the actions or the results of those actions, since actions are not solely determinative of the effects, and they flow naturally from the intentions, or inward being. To paraphrase a line of Christ's, "Wash the inside of the cup, and then it will be clean." If what's on the inside is corrupt or evil, it will manifest itself on the exterior as well.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment