Whether the end justifies the means of production. Arguments end and means.docx - a survey lecture on the topic "relationship" between the end and the means of achieving it "in the characterization of a literary hero."

There will be a collection of literary arguments that can be used in the final essay in the direction "Aims and Means". The section will be updated.

According to one version, it was the founder of the Jesuit order Ignatius de Loyola who argued: "If the goal is the salvation of the soul, then the end justifies the means." This dictum was the motto of the order and, accordingly, the basis of morality, according to which the Jesuits "corrected the depravity of the means by the purity of the goal." The conviction in the justification of any means in achieving great goals was defended by many politicians (for example, Machiavelli), philosophers. Thus, the English materialist philosopher Thomas Hobbes argued: "Since everyone has the right to self-preservation, then everyone has the right to use all means and perform any deed, without which he is not able to preserve himself."

But I.S. Turgenev expressed the exact opposite opinion: “Some Jesuits argue that any means is good, if only to achieve the goal. Not true! Not true! With feet defiled by the dirt of the road, it is unworthy to enter a clean temple. "

So, the question of the end and the means (does a good end justify bad means of achieving it?) Is not resolved unambiguously. Moreover, it seems that he has two opposite correct answers, so that his positive decision for one situation may well turn out to be criminal in another.

How does it work? On the one hand, we can say that joy in this world is not worth grief at all; all the more so - the joy of some is not worth the grief of others; for this reason, good ends do not justify cruel means, and crimes even with the best intentions (that is, perceived by the criminal as the best) remain crimes. On the other hand, if one has to weigh not joy and sorrow, but sorrow and sorrow, and with a lesser grief, more can be avoided, then such an end justifies such a means, even demands it, and only a morally blind, hypocrite does not see this.

These are the different answers. And the very meaning of the question of ends and means is completely different in different situations, therefore attempts to solve the problem posed by abstract reasoning are doomed to failure. The analysis of the goal - means relationship makes sense only in the context of a specific situation. Everything is good, everything is evil, the difference is in the details.

Consequently, it is possible to answer the question supposedly stated in the topic of this direction only by referring to specific works of Russian and foreign literature.

"Crime and Punishment", Dostoevsky

Raskolnikov's train of thought is described here. He tried to create his own philosophy to shield his wretched deeds. The main character went to kill. He had a goal - money. And the tool is an ax. A deplorable outcome. But Dostoevsky did not sink his hero to the very bottom. He gave him a chance to repent of his sins.

"American Tragedy", T. "Dreiser"

We are watching the life of a young and promising guy who quickly began to climb the social and career ladder. He had a beloved girl from a poor family. Once the hero realized that he needed a more profitable game. Therefore, he killed his beloved in order to free himself from his burden. The hero did not manage to become happy in his own way. The police quickly found the culprit.

The protagonist of a genius novel F.M. Dostoevsky, "Crime and Punishment" Rodion Raskolnikov asks the question, is it allowed to commit a small evil for the sake of a great good, does a noble goal justify a criminal means? The author portrays him as a magnanimous dreamer, a humanist, eager to make all mankind happy, who comes to the realization of his own powerlessness in the face of world evil and in despair decides to "transgress" the moral law - to kill for love of humanity, to do evil for the sake of good. However, bloodshed and murder are alien to a normal person, which is undoubtedly the hero of the novel. To understand this, Raskolnikov had to go through all the circles of moral hell and go to hard labor. Only in the finale of the novel do we see that the hero realizes the absurdity of his crazy idea and finds peace of mind.

In contrast to the doubting and rushing Raskolnikov, Dostoevsky draws in his novel the image of Svidrigailov, a man who does not think about the means to achieve his goals. Sinking into the abyss of debauchery, losing faith, Svidrigailov ends his life by suicide, thereby showing the dead end of Raskolnikov's theory.

Based on a true story, the American Tragedy novel by American writer T. Dreiser tells about the fate of an ambitious young manClyde Griffiths, who dreams of breaking out of the framework of his environment, striding rapidly and persistently up the steps of his career, up to the world of money and luxury. Having seduced an honest girl and being confident in his love for her, the hero soon realizes that this connection is the main obstacle on the way to high society. A classic love triangle is formed, the third "corner" of which is a girl from high society, who opens all kinds of exits to material goods for Clyde. Unable to resist such a temptation, the young man carefully thinks over the possibility of getting rid of his first love, which interferes not only with ambitious plans, but also simply interferes with living for his own pleasure. This is how a crime is committed - a deliberate, seriously prepared and cowardly one. After the death of the girl, the police go on the trail of Clyde and accuse him of premeditated murder. The jury sentenced him to death and Clyde spent the rest of his life in prison. As a result, he confesses, admits his guilt. He is electrocuted.

A good, kind, talented person, Ilya Oblomov, could not overcome himself, his laziness and licentiousness, did not reveal his best features. The absence of a high purpose in life leads to moral death. Even love could not save Oblomov.

In his later novel, The Razor's Edge, W.S. Maughamdepicts the life path of a young American Larry, who spent half of his life reading books, and the other - in travel, work, search and self-improvement. His image stands out clearly against the background of young people of his circle, who waste their lives and outstanding abilities in vain on the fulfillment of fleeting whims, on entertainment, on a carefree existence in luxury and idleness. Larry chose his own path and, not paying attention to the misunderstanding and censure of loved ones, he was looking for the meaning of life in hardships, wanderings and wanderings around the world. He completely surrendered himself to the spiritual principle in order to achieve enlightenment of the mind, purification of the spirit, to discover the meaning of the universe.

The protagonist of the novel of the same name by American writer Jack London Martin Eden - a working guy, a sailor, a native of the lower classes, about 21 years old, meets Ruth Morse, a girl from a wealthy bourgeois family. Ruth begins to teach the semi-literate Martin the correct pronunciation of English words and awakens in him an interest in literature. Martin finds out that magazines pay decent royalties to the authors who are published in them, and firmly decides to make a career as a writer, earn money and become worthy of his new acquaintance, with whom he managed to fall in love. Martin composes a self-improvement program, works on his language and pronunciation, reads a lot of books. Iron health and unbending will moves him towards the goal. In the end, after going a long and thorny path, after numerous refusals and disappointments, he becomes a famous writer. (Then he becomes disillusioned with literature, his beloved, people in general and life, loses interest in everything and commits suicide. This is so, just in case. An argument in favor of the fact that fulfilling a dream does not always bring happiness)

A shark, if it stops moving its fins, will sink to the bottom like a stone, the bird, if it stops flapping its wings, will fall to the ground. So a person, if aspirations, desires, goals fade away in him, will collapse to the bottom of life, he will be sucked in by a thick quagmire of gray everyday life. A river that stops flowing turns into a fetid swamp. Likewise, a person who ceases to seek, think, strive, loses "beautiful impulses of souls," gradually degrades, his life becomes a pointless, pitiful vegetation.

I. Bunin in the story "The gentleman from San Francisco" showed the fate of a man who served false values. Wealth was his god, and this god he worshiped. But when the American millionaire died, it turned out that real happiness passed by the person: he died without knowing what life is.

The novel by the famous English writer W.S. Moham "The Burden of Human Passions" touches on one of the most important and burning questions for every person - is there a meaning in life, and if there is, what is it? The main character of the work, Philip Carey, is painfully looking for the answer to this question: in books, in art, in love, in the judgments of friends. One of them, the cynic and materialist Cronshaw, advises him to look at the Persian carpets and refuses further explanation. Only years later, having lost almost all his illusions and hopes for the future, Philip realizes what he meant and admits that “life has no meaning, and human existence is purposeless. Knowing that nothing makes sense and nothing matters, a person can still get satisfaction by choosing various threads that he weaves into the endless fabric of life. There is one pattern - the simplest and most beautiful: a person is born, matures, marries, gives birth to children, works for a piece of bread and dies; but there are other, more intricate and amazing patterns, where there is no place for happiness or striving for success - they conceal, perhaps, some kind of disturbing beauty of their own. "

FIPI commentary on the direction "Aims and Means":
“The concepts of this direction are interrelated and allow us to think about the life aspirations of a person, the importance of meaningful goal-setting, the ability to correctly correlate the goal and the means of achieving it, as well as the ethical assessment of human actions. And often it turns out that a good goal serves only as a cover for true (base) plans. Such characters are opposed by heroes for whom the means of achieving a high goal are inseparable from the requirements of morality. "

Recommendations for students:
The table contains works that reflect any concept related to the direction "Aims and Means". You DO NOT NEED to read all of the works listed. You may have read a lot by now. Your task is to revise your reading knowledge and, if you find a lack of arguments in one direction or another, fill in the gaps. In this case, you will need this information. Think of it as a reference point in the vast world of literary works. Please note: the table contains only a part of the works in which the problems we need are present. This does not mean at all that you cannot give completely different arguments in your works. For convenience, each work is accompanied by small explanations (the third column of the table), which will help you navigate how exactly, through which characters, you will need to rely on literary material (the second mandatory criterion when evaluating a graduation essay)

An approximate list of literary works and carriers of problems in the direction "Aims and Means"

"Aims and Means" is one of the themes of the final essay on literature offered to graduates of 2019 by the developer of knowledge control materials, the FIPI Institute. What can you write about in such a work?

First, you need to explain what the goal is. For example, it can be seen as a fundamental part of a person's life. Write down how important it is to have a goal, strive for the heights, achieve something, self-actualize. You can mention great discoveries, scientific or geographical - this will make the essay more interesting and give the chance to get a higher rating. Secondly, you can give a brief classification of goals, because they are different - true and false, great and selfish. Another version of the theme of the work - "Does the end justify the means?" Discuss - is it possible to justify a great goal achieved in an unrighteous way, write about the ethical assessment of the means to achieve the goal. Albert Einstein once said: "No goal is high enough to justify the unworthy means to achieve it." Goethe also agreed with him: "Lofty goals, even if unfulfilled, are dearer than low goals, even if achieved." You can agree with them or not, but in the second case, you will have to try and give your convincing arguments. Write examples from literature in which characters mistakenly or deliberately choose “bad” means to an end. You can also mention cases from life or history when a seemingly good goal actually serves only as a cover for base true plans. Be sure to contrast such characters with heroes who do not separate the means to an end from the requirements of morality.

The question of the goal and the means of achieving it has worried mankind since ancient times. Many writers, philosophers and public figures have pondered over it and brought up historical, life and literary arguments to prove their point. In the Russian classics, too, there were many answers and examples proving, as a rule, the assertion that the paths of achievement must correspond in everything to what needs to be achieved, otherwise it loses all meaning. In this collection, we have listed the most striking and illustrative examples from Russian literature for the final essay in the direction "Aims and Means".

1. In Pushkin's novel "The Captain's Daughter", the main character always chose the right paths to achieve goals, however, no less noble. Thanks to this, Grinev turns from an ignorant noble dullard into an officer, sincere, ready to sacrifice his life in the name of duty. Having sworn allegiance to the empress, he honestly serves, defending the fortress, and even death at the hands of rebel robbers does not frighten him. Just as honestly, he sought Masha's favor, and achieved. The antipode of Peter Grinev in the novel - Shvabrin - on the contrary, uses any means to achieve the goal, choosing the most vile of them. Having embarked on the path of betrayal, he pursues personal gain, demands reciprocity from Masha, while not disdaining to blacken her in the eyes of Peter. In the choice of goals and means, Alexey is driven by mental cowardice and self-interest, because he is devoid of ideas about honor and conscience. Mary rejects him for this reason, because a good goal cannot be achieved by deception.
2. What should be the ultimate goal if cruelty, deceit and human lives are the means to achieve it? In the novel by M.Yu. Lermontov's "A Hero of Our Time" Grigory Pechorin's goals are momentary, embodied in the desire for second victories, for which he chooses difficult and sometimes cruel means. Hidden in his victories is a persistent search for the meaning of life, which the hero cannot find. In this search, he destroys not only himself, but also everyone who surrounds him - Princess Mary, Bela, Grushnitsky. To revive his own soul, he plays with the feelings of others, unwittingly becoming the cause of their misfortunes. But in the game with his own life, Grigory hopelessly loses, loses those few people who were dear to him. “I realized that chasing lost happiness is reckless,” he says, and the goal to achieve which so much strength and other people's grief is put in turns out to be illusory and unattainable.
3. In the comedy A.S. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit" the society in which Chatsky is forced to be, lives according to market laws, where everything is bought and sold, and a person is valuable not for his spiritual qualities, but for the size of his wallet and success in his career. Nobility and duty are here nothing in front of the importance of rank and title. That is why Alexander Chatsky turns out to be misunderstood and rejected in a circle where mercantile goals dominate, justifying any means.
   He enters into a struggle with the Famus society, challenges Molchalin, who goes to deception and hypocrisy in order to get a high position. Even in love, Alexander turns out to be a loser, because he does not defile the goal with vile means, refuses to squeeze the breadth and nobility of his heart into the narrow framework of generally accepted and vulgar concepts with which Famusov's house is replete.
4. A person is valuable for his deeds. But not always his deeds, even if subordinate to a high goal, turn out to be good. In the novel by F.M. Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment" Rodion Raskolnikov decides for himself an important question from the point of view of morality: does the end justify the means? Can he, according to his theory, dispose of people's lives at his own discretion?
   The answer lies in the title of the novel: Raskolnikov's mental anguish, after the atrocity he committed, prove that his calculation was wrong, and the theory was wrong. The goal, which is based on unrighteous and inhuman means, is devalued by itself, becomes a crime for which sooner or later will have to be punished.
5. In the novel by M.A. Sholokhov's "Quiet Don" the fates of the heroes were swept away by the revolutionary elements. Grigory Melekhov, who sincerely believes in a happy and wonderful communist future, is ready to give his life for the well-being and prosperity of his native land. But in the context of life, bright revolutionary ideas turn out to be ineffective, dead. Gregory understands that the struggle between whites and reds, seemingly aimed at a "wonderful tomorrow", in fact is violence and reprisals against the helpless and dissent. Brilliant slogans turn out to be a deception, and the cruelty and arbitrariness of the means are hidden behind the lofty goal. The nobility of the soul does not allow him to come to terms with the evil and injustice that he observes around. Tormented by doubts and contradictions, Gregory is trying to find the only correct path that will allow him to live honestly. He is unable to justify the numerous murders committed in the name of a ghostly idea in which he no longer believes.
6. A. Solzhenitsyn's novel "The Gulag Archipelago" is a study related to the political history of the USSR, according to Solzhenitsyn, "an experience of artistic research", in which the author analyzes the history of the country - a utopia that erects an ideal world on the rubble of human lives, numerous victims and lies disguised for humane purposes. The price for the illusion of happiness and peace, in which there is no place for individuality and dissent, is too high. The problematic of the novel is diverse, since it includes many questions of a moral nature: is it possible to justify evil in the name of good? What do victims and their executioners have in common? Who is responsible for mistakes made? Supported by rich biographical, research material, the book leads the reader to the problem of ends and means, convincing him that one does not justify the other.
7. A person is inherent in the search for happiness, as the main meaning of life, its highest goal. For her sake, he is ready to use any means, but he does not understand that this is unnecessary. The main character of the story V.M. Shukshin's "Boots" - to Sergei Dukhanin - manifestations of tender feelings are by no means easy, because he is not used to unjustified tenderness and is even ashamed of it. But the desire to please his loved one, the desire for happiness, pushes him to a big waste. The money spent on the purchase of an expensive gift turns out to be an unnecessary sacrifice, because his wife only needed attention. Generosity and the desire to give warmth and care fill the hero's somewhat hardened, but still sensitive soul with happiness, which, as it turned out, is not so difficult to find.
8. In the novel by V.A. Kaverin "Two Captains" the problem of ends and means is revealed in the confrontation between two characters - Sanya and Camomile. Each of them is driven by their own goals, each decides what is really important to him. In search of solutions, their paths diverge, fate confronts them in a duel that determines the moral guidelines of each, proves the noble strength of one, and the vile baseness of the other. Sanya is driven by honest sincere aspirations, he is ready for a difficult but direct path to find out the truth and prove it to others. Chamomile pursues small goals, achieving them in no less small ways: lies, betrayal and hypocrisy. Each of them is going through a painful problem of choice, in which it is so easy to lose yourself and those you truly love.
9. A person is not always clearly aware of his goal. In Roman L.N. Tolstoy's "War and Peace" Andrei Bolkonsky is in search of himself and his place in life. His shaky life guidelines are influenced by fashion, society, the opinion of friends and relatives. He raves about fame and military exploits, dreams of making a career in the service, but not just reaching high ranks, but gaining the eternal glory of a winner and a hero. He goes to war, the cruelty and horrors of which instantly showed him all the absurdity and illusion of his dreams. He is not ready, like Napoleon, to go to glory on the bones of soldiers. The desire to live and make the life of other people wonderful set new goals for Bolkonsky. Meeting with Natasha instills love in his soul. However, in a moment that requires stamina and understanding from him, he gives up under the weight of circumstances and refuses his love. He is again tormented by doubts about the correctness of his own goals, and only before his death, Andrei realizes that the best moments of life, its great gifts are contained in love, forgiveness and compassion.
10. Character makes a person. He defines his life goals and landmarks. In "Letters of Good and Beautiful" D.S. Likhachev, the problem of the goal and the means of achieving it is considered by the author as one of the most important, forming in the young reader the concept of honor, duty, truth. “The end justifies the means” is a formula that is unacceptable to the author. On the contrary, every person should have a goal in life, but the methods that he uses to achieve what he want are no less important. In order to be happy and in harmony with your own conscience, you need to make a choice in favor of spiritual values, giving preference to good deeds and wonderful thoughts.

Interesting? Keep it on your wall!

We all set goals in life and then try to achieve them. The goals can be small or large, important or not so: from buying a new phone to saving the world. Which of them can be considered worthy and which are not? In my opinion, the significance of a goal is determined by how many people achieving it can help. If the goal is to acquire something just for your own pleasure, then it is clear that achieving it will make only one person happy. If the goal is, for example, the invention of a cure for cancer, then it is obvious that achieving it will help save many people. It is the goals aimed at the good of many people that can be considered important and, of course, worthy. Is it important to set a goal to do good? Or, perhaps, it is enough to live only for oneself, placing at the forefront only one's own well-being, mainly material? It seems to me that a person who strives to do something for the common good lives a fuller life, his existence acquires a special meaning, and achieving a goal will bring greater satisfaction.

Many writers have reflected in their writings on life goals. So, R. Bradbury in the story "Green Morning" tells about Benjamin Driscoll, who flew to Mars and found that the air there is not suitable for breathing, because it is too rarefied. And then the hero decides to plant many trees on the planet so that they fill the atmosphere of Mars with life-giving oxygen. This becomes his goal, his life's work. Benjamin wants to do this not only for himself, but for all the inhabitants of the planet. Is his goal worthy? Undoubtedly! Was it important for the hero to stage it and work hard to achieve it? Of course, because he feels that he will benefit people, and the achievement of this goal makes him truly happy.

AP Chekhov also discusses which goals are worthy in the story "Gooseberry". The author condemns the hero, the meaning of his life was the desire to acquire a manor with a gooseberry. Chekhov believes that the meaning of life is not at all in material goods and one's own egoistic happiness, but in tirelessly doing good. Through the lips of his hero, he exclaims: “... if there is a meaning and a goal in life, then this meaning and goal is not at all in our happiness, but in something more reasonable and great. Do good! "

Thus, we can come to the conclusion that it is important for each person to set truly worthy goals - to do good for the good of people.

What human qualities can help you achieve your goal?

Almost every day people set certain goals for themselves, but not everyone and not always manage to achieve them. Why do some people do it, while others do not? What qualities do those people possess who successfully fulfill their desires? It seems that perseverance, perseverance, the ability to overcome difficulties arising on the way and not give up in case of failures, willpower, faith in oneself are important to achieve the set goal.

It is these character traits that are characteristic of the hero of "The Tale of a Real Man" by B. Polevoy. Since childhood, he has always dreamed of flying. During the war years he became a fighter pilot. However, fate was cruel to the hero. In the battle, his plane was shot down, and Meresiev himself received severe wounds in both legs, as a result of which they were forced to amputate. It would seem that he was never destined to fly again. However, the hero doesn't give up. He wants to "learn to fly without legs and become a full-fledged pilot again." "Now he had a purpose in life: to return to the profession of a fighter." Alexey Meresiev is making a truly titanic effort to achieve this goal. Nothing can break the spirit of the hero. He trains hard, overcomes pain, and continues to believe in success. As a result, the goal was achieved: Alexey returned to duty and continued to fight the enemy, flying the plane without both legs. In this he was helped by such qualities as willpower, perseverance, faith in himself.

Let us recall the hero of the story "Green Morning" by R. Bradbury by Benjamin Driscoll. His goal was to grow many trees on Mars to fill the air with oxygen. For many days, the hero works hard, sows seeds. He does not allow himself to look back, because he does not want to see that his works do not lead to success: not a single seed has ever sprouted. Benjamin Driscoll does not allow himself to despair and give up, does not give up what he started, despite the failure. He continues to work day after day, and one day the day comes when almost in an instant thousands of trees planted by him grow and the air is saturated with life-giving oxygen. The hero's goal has been achieved. He was helped in this not only by perseverance and perseverance, but also by the ability not to lose heart, not to give in to failure.

I would like to believe that every person can cultivate all these important and necessary qualities, and then we will be able to fulfill our wildest dreams.

Does achieving a goal always make a person happy?

Each person, walking along the path of life, sets certain goals for himself, and then seeks to achieve them. Sometimes he makes a lot of efforts to make the goal finally come true. And now the long-awaited moment comes. The goal has been achieved. Does it always bring happiness? It seems that no, not always. Sometimes it turns out that a fulfilled desire brings no moral satisfaction, and perhaps even makes a person unhappy.

This situation is described in the novel by J. London "Martin Eden". The main character had a goal - to become a famous writer and, having achieved material well-being, to find family happiness with his girlfriend. For a long time, the hero has been steadily moving towards his goal. He works the whole day, denies himself everything, starves. Martin Eden makes a truly titanic effort to achieve his goal, shows incredible perseverance and strength of character, overcomes all obstacles on the way to success. Neither the numerous refusals of the editors of the magazines, nor the misunderstanding on the part of people close to him, especially his beloved Ruth, can break him. In the end, the hero reaches his goal: he becomes a famous writer, he is published everywhere, he has fans. People who never wanted to know him before now invite him to dinner parties. He has more money than he can spend. And Ruth finally comes to him and is ready to be with him. It would seem that everything that he once dreamed of has come true. Did this make the hero happy? Unfortunately no. Martin Eden is deeply disappointed. Neither fame, nor money, nor even the return of his beloved girl can bring him joy. Moreover, the hero experiences longing and moral devastation and eventually commits suicide.

Thus, we can come to the conclusion: achieving a goal is not always able to make a person happy, sometimes, on the contrary, it can lead to the opposite result.

(272 words)

Does the end always justify the means?

We all know the phrase: "The end justifies the means." Can you agree with this statement? In my opinion, this question cannot be answered unambiguously. It all depends on the specific situation. Sometimes the goal is such that the most radical methods can be used to achieve it, and sometimes a situation arises in which no goal can justify a person's actions.

Suppose the means to an end is to kill another person. Will it be considered justified? At first glance, it seems that of course not. However, it is not always that simple. Let's turn to literary examples.

In V. Bykov's story "Sotnikov" partisan Rybak saves his life by committing treason: being captured, he agrees to serve in the police, participates in the execution of a comrade. Moreover, a courageous man, worthy in all respects, - Sotnikov, becomes his victim. In fact, Rybak achieves his goal - to survive - through betrayal and murder. Of course, in this case, the character's act cannot be justified by anything.

But in the work of M. Sholokhov "The Fate of a Man" the main character Andrei Sokolov also kills a man with his own hand, and also "his own", and not the enemy - Kryzhnev. Why is he doing this? His actions are explained by the fact that Kryzhnev was going to hand over his commander to the Germans. And although in this work, just as in the already mentioned story "Sotnikov", murder becomes the means to an end, in the case of Andrei Sokolov it can be argued that the end justifies the means. After all, Sokolov does not save himself, but another person, does not act out of selfish motives or cowardice, but, on the contrary, seeks to help an unfamiliar platoon commander, who, without his intervention, would be doomed to death. In addition, a vile person, ready for betrayal, becomes a victim of murder.

From the above, we can conclude that a lot depends on the specific situation. Apparently, there are circumstances in which the end justifies the means, but, of course, not in all cases.

(283 words)