Br. Christopher Daniel, O.P., on Ends that Justify the Means

"'The ends don't justify the means.'

"We are all familiar with this saying. We cannot use evil means just because the end or goal that we are aiming at is good. The end of a little peace and quiet does not justify locking my brother outside in the cold. No matter how good the ultimate goal that we intend, this doesn't permit us to do something that is wrong in order to accomplish it. 

"But what if the means is actually good or neutral? Upon further consideration we might say that not every good end justifies good means - they may not be proportionate. When we see desirable ends and begin to consider the means by which we may attain these ends, we enter into an internal process of what economists call a cost-benefit analysis. . . ."

In a recent commentary, Brother Christopher Daniel, O.P., reflected on the cost-benefit analysis when it comes to God as our end and on the importance of selecting suitable means to reach this end (while remembering that "God will come to our aid because he did not consider any means too great for the end of our salvation").

To access Br. Christopher's complete post, please visit:

Dominicana: Ends that Justify the Means (13 DEC 19)