Stephen Sondheim Quotes

The result justifies the deed.

The end justifies the means. But what if there never is an end? All we have is means.

The end never justifies the means because there is no end; there are only means.

The end may justify the means as long as there is something that justifies the end.

A means can be justified only by its end. But the end in its turn needs to be justified.

The end must justify the means.

The problem with absolutist beliefs that they can get you into traps in which the ends justify the means.

We ought to see clearly that the end does justify the means

The end justifies the means only when the means used are such as actually bring about the desired and desirable end.

If the end does not justify the means, what does?

Intelligence work has one moral law—it is justified by results.

The ideologue says “whatever is right works.” The pragmatist says “whatever works is right.”

The ends do not justify the means. The means are the ends.

There are times when the end justifies the means. But when you build an argument based on a whole series of such times, you may find that you've constructed an entire philosophy of evil." --Luke Skywalker

Do not turn yourself from an end into a means-one does not justify the other.

The ends justifies the means.

the ends never justify the means because IT never ends.

Any humane and reasonable person must conclude that if the ends, however desireable, are uncertain and the means are horrible and certain, these means must not be employed.

For the lesser evil is reckoned a good in comparison with the greater evil, since the lesser evil is rather to be chosen than the greater. .

If it's anything that's going to result in suffering to animals or people, then I don't think [the end] justifies the means... Yeah; but then again if you could hurt ten people to save 100 people and there was no option, what would you do? I can't really address that.

And don't tell me the end justifies the means because it doesn't. We never reach the end. All we ever get is means. That's what we live with.

Life's not black-and-white. Sometimes the ends justifies the means.

Immoral: Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes to be considered wrong, wicked, immoral. If mans notions of right and wrong have any other basis than this of expediency; if they originated, or could have originated, in any other way; if actions have in themselves a moral character apart from and nowise dependent on, their consequences-then all philosophy is a lie and reason a disorder of the mind.

But the nature of the universe is such that ends can never justify means. On the contrary, the means always determine the end.

I'm offended by the is-ought fallacy, which has been used to justify slavery, women not being allowed to vote, children working in factories.