Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes

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

A Warrior knows that the ends do not justify the means. Because there are no ends, there are only means.

My only fear is doing something contrary to human nature - the wrong thing, the wrong way, or at the wrong time.

In the long run, you can never accomplish a worthy end with an unworthy means.

Do what's right and you'll please some of the people and astound the rest.

The history of all the world tells us that immoral means will ever intercept good ends.

You can't be right by doing wrong; you can't be wrong by doing right.

Ahimsa and Truth are my two lungs. I cannot live without them.

You can’t reach good ends through evil means, because the means represent the seed and the end represents the tree.

We are so anxious to achieve some particular end that we never pay attention to the psycho-physical means whereby that end is to be gained. So far as we are concerned, any old means is good enough. But the nature of the universe is such that ends can never justify the means. On the contrary, the means always determine the end.

The right actions undertaken for the right reasons generally lead to good outcomes over time.

It is as hard and severe a thing to be a true politician as to be truly moral.

We may draw good out of evil; we must not do evil, that good may come.

I never think the ends justify the means.

To turn the other cheek is to teach would-be cheats that cheating pays.

In the 17 years since I graduated from this great College of Law, I have seen that, for many of us, it becomes increasingly easy to rationalize our actions in the name of expediency when facing difficult decisions-to choose a path where the ends justify the means. I want to ask you to challenge Machiavelli's philosophy. I want to humbly suggest that you be the guardians of a more complicated truth: that the means are as important-and sometimes even more important-than the ends.

As we act 'right,' our right results are guaranteed.

There can be no question of holding forth on ethics. I have seen people behave badly with great morality and I note every day that integrity has no need of rules

Integrity means having the courage to do what is right, and what is aligned with your values, no matter the situation.

The only virtue I want to claim is truth and nonviolence.

As the means, so the end.

Without integrity and conscience we lose our freedom.

My rule, in which I have always found satisfaction, is, never to turn aside in public affairs through views of private interest; but to go straight forward in doing what appears to me right at the time, leaving the consequences with Providence.

Philosophy is fundamentally about how you come to terms with living your life and trying to do it in a wise manner, and, for me, that means decently and compassionately and courageously and so forth.

Intention, good or bad, is not enough.