Quote (cambovenzi @ Apr 8 2017 05:32pm)
That is a subjective ideological opinion.
I think it should be a combination.
The actions are a part of the consequence. The means are a part of the ends.
Doing all sorts of terrible things to innocent people in order to potentially achieve something you think is good makes someone the good guy?
If the means are "doing all sorts of terrible things is innocent people" then the terrible things that happens to those people are, of course, consequences, that are part of the evaluation in determining the morality of an action.
The
actions, on the other hand, are not part of the consequences. Only what those actions cause.
Quote (cambovenzi @ Apr 8 2017 05:32pm)
If someone tries to kill you but fails is he not really a bad guy?
I would consider him a person who tried to do bad but failed. He was a bad person beforehand because of the negative expected value of his planned action (unless murdering me would be a good thing... maybe).
Quote (cambovenzi @ Apr 8 2017 05:32pm)
Or if he succeeds in killing you, but the town rallies together and becomes a safer place, does that make him a hero?
I certainly wouldn't use the term hero but there are definitely instances in which killing can produce net benefits to the world (for example, in the case of many abortions).
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