第3部分 (第6/7页)

　me；　this　older　conception　of　man’s　nature　and　destiny　seems　more　realistic；　more　nearly　in　accord　with　the　given　facts；　than　any　form　of　modern　utopianism。。　最好的txt下载网

学会摆脱自负（2）

In　the　Lord’s　Prayer　we　are　taught　to　ask　for　the　blessing　which　consists　in　not　being　led　into　temptation。　The　reason　is　only　too　obvious。　When　temptations　are　very　great　or　unduly　prolonged；　most　persons　succumb4　to　them。　To　devise　a　perfect　social　order　is　probably　beyond　our　powers；　but　I　believe　that　it　is　perfectly　possible　for　us　to　reduce　the　number　of　dangerous　temptations　to　a　level　far　below　that　which　is　tolerated　at　the　present　time。

A　society　so　arranged　that　there　shall　be　a　minimum　of　dangerous　temptations—this　is　the　end　towards　which；　as　a　citizen；　I　have　to　strive。　In　my　efforts　to　that　end；　I　can　make　use　of　a　great　variety　of　means。　Do　good　ends　justify　the　use　of　intrinsically　bad　means？　On　the　level　of　theory；　the　point　can　be　argued　indefinitely。　In　practice；　meanwhile；　I　find　that　the　means　employed　invariably　determine　the　nature　of　the　end　achieved。　Indeed；　as　Mahatma　Gandhi　was　never　tired　of　insisting；　the　means　are　the　end　in　its　preliminary5　stages。　Men　have　put　forth　enormous　efforts　to　make　their　world　a　better　place　to　live　in；　but　except　in　regard　to　gadgets；　plumbing　and　hygiene；　their　sussess　has　been　pathetically　small。　“Hell；”　as　the　proverb　has　it；　“is　paved　with　good　intentions。”　And　so　long　as　we　go　on　trying　to　realize　our　ideals　by　bad　o