In which the author makes a Poll bound to offend somebody, on a topic no one wants to discuss

[jonathankaplan]

I first saw the miniseries Roots when it originally aired.
I next saw the miniseries Roots last week.
I have always thought the End does NOT justify the means.

Comments

Tongue in Cheek Short Story about this

[slowjoe]

Hi Jonathan

This brings to mind an old short story: http://timworstall.typepad.com/timworstall/2004/04/lloyds_and_slav.html

Like all good short stories, there's a nice twist at the end.

[corwyn_ap]

Here is another way of phrasing the question:

I have a time machine and I make an offer to anyone of West African descent. I will go back in time and exchange your ancestor for one who did/did not get captured for the slave trade. Do you want me to do that?

How many people descended from slaves do you think will take me up on it?
How many people NOT descended from slaves do you think will take me up on it?

This removes some of the selection bias.

[jonathankaplan]

I agree, that is a better question. But I'd add on little bit....

....go back in time and exchange your ancestor for one who did/did not get captured for the EURO/AMERICAN slave trade....
(the caps are mine, to show the change.)

I believe this distinction is important. As I have said, West Africa has a history of slave trading that predates Euro/American involvement. Anyone taking the choice to go back in time needs to know there is still some chance they will be enslaved, just not sent to the American colonies if they are.

Good change there. Now, lets invent that time machine too.....smile.
Thanks!

[corwyn_ap]

I'm fine with that change.

Do you agree that this question is a lot tougher than your #3?

As with all evolution, it is great to be the descendant of a successful ancestor who overcame great odds; not so great if they failed. Asking the winners will almost always get you a 'sure it was worth it' answer.

[spoonless]

What does the last question mean, "does the means justify the end?"

Usually, when people say "does the end justify the means?" they are assuming that the end was good but the means involved dubious ethics, and the question is if it is ok to compromise your ethics somewhat in order to accomplish good in the end. But turning it the other way around, it seems to only make sense if your means of going about it was good but somehow those good intentions led to an evil end. So are you asking... if the end turns out really bad, is getting to that end justified by the fact that you seemed to be using a good means of getting there the whole time? Or are you asking something different? This was my only guess for what it could mean, although it did not make much sense.

[spoonless]

Also, the whole point of a "justification" seems like it has to apply to an action, not a result.

So asking if an action is justified in light of a particular result makes sense. Whereas asking if a result is justified doesn't make much sense as far as I can see. ??

[anonymous]

Hi I'm a poker newbie and I follow your journal periodically and I'm impressed with all the things you're interested in. I just happened to notice that a lot of times your mood is anxious; why is that? Keep on writing! Joann