Call of duty Quote by Robert McNamara
“I think the human race needs to think about killing. How much evil must we do to do good?”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Limits of Power, 1991
Moral paradox: achieving good often requires harmful actions, prompting ethical reflection.
In simple terms: Good may need bad deeds.
Key Takeaway
Weigh ethical costs of actions.
Themes
ethics
war
policy
humanity
dilemma
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- military decisions
- policy making
- social reform
Key Concepts
political science
philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- When is harm justified?
- What alternatives exist?
A Different Perspective
Justifying harm can erode moral authority.
![“[General Curtis] LeMay recognized that what he was doing would be thought immoral if his side has lost. But what makes it immoral if you lose and not immoral if you win?” quote by Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/165/robert-mcnamara-12738_burned_general-curtis-lemay-recognized-that-wha_43443.jpg)
![“...but highly placed sources within the Kennedy Administration disagreed: "[T]he assumption that the strategic nuclear balance mattered in any way was wrong... As far as I am concerned, it made no difference... If my memory serves me correctly, we had some five thousand strategic nuclear warheads…” quote by Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f43/robert-mcnamara-12738_administration_but-highly-placed-sources-within-the-ken_893031.jpg)
