"All action is for the sake of some end; and rules of action, it seems natural to suppose, must take their whole character and color from the end to which they are subservient"
- John Stuart Mill
About this Quote
John Stuart Mill is recommending that all actions are taken with a purpose in mind, which the guidelines governing those actions must be tailored to the end goal. He is suggesting that the guidelines should be flexible and must be adjusted to fit the preferred result. This concept is in line with the concept of utilitarianism, which Mill was a supporter of. Utilitarianism is the belief that the best action is the one that produces the most helpful for the most people. Mill is suggesting that the guidelines governing our actions must be developed to take full advantage of the helpful for the best variety of individuals. He is also recommending that the guidelines must be customized to the particular situation, as various circumstances may require different guidelines. Simply put, the rules ought to be customized to the end objective, rather than being stiff and inflexible.
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