Lessons from Charlie Howard’s Death” 1. Does the end justify the means? I do not think the end justifies the means. We do not lead a solitary life in this world. For there to be a world of peace our actions should not infringe the peace of another person. To attain a certain goal, it must first be measured on this standard. The 3 young boys reached their probable goal of satisfying the societal expectations but they affected the well-being of Charlie Howard. Charlie was beaten, drown and he ended up dead. I think means show a clear picture of the nature of the end.

1. 5 Philosophical Questions Dilemma
“Lessons from Charlie Howard’s Death”
1. Does the end justify the means?
I do not think the end justifies the means. We do not lead a solitary life in this world. For
there to be a world of peace our actions should not infringe the peace of another person.
To attain a certain goal, it must first be measured on this standard. The 3 young boys
reached their probable goal of satisfying the societal expectations but they affected the
well-being of Charlie Howard. Charlie was beaten, drown and he ended up dead. I think
means show a clear picture of the nature of the end.
2. Are punishment and fear of punishment the only things that keep us from doing wrong?
The 3 young boys did the wrong thing according to the law because they were sentenced
to Juvenile detention center. Action is greatly influenced by the education and belief
system of an individual. Punishment especially to teenagers may have little or no
influence in the education system.
3. Do the needs of the society outweigh the needs of an individual?
Here there is the society with their beliefs and the government. An individual lives in
society. The boys should have cared more for Charlie Howard other than their own belief.
4. Should economic resources be controlled by communities or individuals?
I think resources should be controlled by individuals. This ensures there is no laxity and a
person gets what they work for other than what the society provides and it could be at the
expense of another person’s labor.
5. Are the results all that matter, or do intentions also count?

2. I do not think that the results are all that matter. Intentions count. Wrong intentions with the
right action might please for a moment but the results do not last.
Socrates POV vs Glaucon POV
1. Does the end justify the means?
Socrates was a non-consequentialist. He had some virtue ethics. Socrates would have
condemned the act of beating, drowning and death because it affected the well-being of
Charlie Howard. To Socrates the end does not justify the means. It was ethically wrong.
Socrates also had a mixture of deontological ethics. According to Socrates the murder is
considered justifiable according to his beliefs. Glaucon differs with Socrates on this as he
believes the means to the end is important.
2. Are punishment and fear of punishment the only things that keep us from doing wrong?
Socrates believed that punishment was a blessing. I think Socrates greatly believed that
punishment would keep us from doing wrong. But in this case his argument would be
invalid because the boys murdered the man irrespective of the standing laws. Glaucon
agrees with Socrates.
3. Do the needs of the society outweigh the needs of an individual?
Socrates believed in the balance of an individual rights and the society’s. According to
Socrates the rights of the 3 young adults in accordance to their tradition should not have
interfered with Charlie Howards life. Glaucon agreed with Socrates on this.
4. Should economic resources be controlled by communities or individuals?
Socrates believed in democratic equality in the distribution of economic resources should
be controlled by individuals while Glaucon was a firm believer who was a family man.
According to Glaucon resources should be controlled by communities.
5. Are the results all that matter, or do intentions also count?

3. According to Socrates the virtuous act is done for its own sake. This means that the
intention and action matter. To know the good is to do the good but according to Glaucon
the appearance of good is all that matters. Glaucon further stated that doing good if no
one knows is futile. To Glaucon only the action matters.