Tag: ends

Chief Ends and Ultimate Ends (Part 2): Supreme Implications

May 7th, 2012
In my last post, I summarized Edwards’ distinctions of various types of ends: chief end, ultimate end, subordinate end, and inferior end. Chief end and inferior end correspond oppositely to each other, while ultimate end and subordinate end correspond oppositely as well. In short, an ultimate end is one that is enjoyed for its own pleasure and enjoyment–it is not a means to another end. A subordinate end is one that is a means to another end and subordinate to that greater end. A chief end is the greatest of all ends in a multiplicity of ends (including ultimate ends), and an inferior end is one that is not a chief end.

In addition to these terms, Edwards also introduces supreme end to describe the end by which a person in general operates, the final end that governs his/her life and all other ends (it is both a chief end and an ultimate end). Edwards writes: “if any being has but one ultimate end, in all that he does, and there be a great variety of operations, his last end may justly be looked upon as his supreme end. For in such a case, every other end but that one, is in order to that end; and therefore no other can be superior to it.” All other ends are subordinate to this end.

As I wrote the initial post, it occurred to me that we may often operate without properly identifying our ends. We sometimes mindlessly make decisions without really considering why we do them. I’m not talking about mundane things like snapping our food when eating (though that is annoying) or being left-handed. I’m talking about why we sit and watch 4 hours of TV on a given night, or why we sign up to play in a soccer league. I’m talking about decisions like how we spend our money. In short, why do you do what you do? What’s your purpose?

Suppose we all operated in life with one final end, an end which governs all other ends, an end by which all other ends are subordinate. A supreme end. Paul seems to indicate that, as Christians, we should have a supreme end–and not just any supreme end but one specific one. He writes: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). He also writes: “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (Phil 3:8). It appears his supreme end is glorifying God (or in other words, gaining Christ). The Westminster Shorter Catechism summarizes the biblical teaching by stating: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” So eating, drinking, or any other activity we engage in, should be subordinate ends to the supreme end of glorifying God. (But I do think that an end can be simultaneously subordinate and ultimate in different senses, if it is a means to a greater end but also enjoyed for its own pleasure. One example of this is going to school–if one really does enjoy going to school, that is.)

Having an awareness of this type of paradigm should revolutionize our way of life and decision-making process (to say the least). Every significant decision we make should be considered under this paradigm (of course it’s easier said than done). Some may be clear: the decision to steal from someone clearly does not fit, while the decision to pray or read the Bible does. But others aren’t as clear, and it’s in those decisions that some soul-searching is required. Perhaps there isn’t a direct link between one of your ends and your supreme end, but it may exist in a chain of subordination. For example, how does playing basketball glorify God? It may or may not directly, but here’s one suggestion (there are probably other ways of getting there): it gives me a good workout, which increases my health, which increases my ability to sit behind a desk and study God’s Word longer–so in this particular chain of subordination, playing basketball ultimately (though perhaps not directly) glorifies God. But it can also qualify as an ultimate end since I do enjoy playing for the sake of its own pleasure.

Another more significant example. How can my career choice ultimately glorify God? Perhaps you’ve chosen a career in law. It may be an ultimate end in that you just love your job, and, simply put, you’re good at it. But at the same time, it may be a means for other ends. Being an attorney, sometimes viewed as a profession requiring deceit and unethical behavior, may truly become a God-honoring profession if you refuse to compromise your convictions, strive for ethical and moral behavior, seek truth even if it means you might lose your case, and defend the poor and helpless even if you might not get paid for it. And if you’re one of those attorneys that gets paid the big bucks, that resource can also be used for God-honoring purposes (I know of at least one attorney friend who does make the big bucks and is active in supporting the ministries of others; and by this I think he is glorifying God).

Considering this paradigm of ultimate ends, subordinate ends, and supreme ends seems to be a good way for us to make more consistent decisions in living for God’s glory, if that’s truly our concern. Speaking of glorifying God, that’ll be the topic of my next post.
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Chief Ends and Ultimate Ends (Part 1): A Review of Jonathan Edwards’ Distinctions

May 2nd, 2012
Last weekend, a friend of mine, Tom Musetti, reminded me of an article by Jonathan Edwards, where he talks about the end for which God created the world (this, in fact, is the title of his article). He begins by identifying and distinguishing some key terms: chief end and ultimate end (along with subordinate end, inferior end, among other related terms). Edwards writes: “These two phrases [chief end and ultimate end] are not always precisely of the same signification: and though the chief end be always an ultimate end, yet every ultimate end is not always a chief end. A chief end is opposite to an inferior end: an ultimate end is opposite to a subordinate end.” I’ll try to summarize in English what he meant, but here’s a pdf of the article if you want to read the whole thing.

By the way, we don’t really use the word “end” in this way anymore, but I’ll stick with it (you can substitute “purpose” if you’d like, though “end” really is the more accurate term, like τέλος). Anyways, back to definitions. A subordinate end is something that one aims at, not for itself, but as a means for another end–hence, it is subordinate. For example, someone goes to the grocery store for the end of buying groceries. But buying groceries is a subordinate end, since it is not accomplished for its own sake but as a means for a greater end, to cook food and to eat. Eating may be considered an ultimate end, which is something that one aims at on its own account, for the sake of itself, for the sake of its own enjoyment. For example, eating a nice ribeye steak would be an ultimate end if it is done for its own pleasure. A chief end is the most valued in a multiplicity of ultimate ends. For example, a man drives to a nearby city for two ultimate ends: 1) to meet up with his girlfriend and spend time with her, and 2) to collect money from a friend who happens to live in the same city (for simplicity’s sake, let’s just say that collecting money is an ultimate end). These are two separate, unrelated ends from the same subordinate end (driving to the nearby city), but if the man considers spending time with his girlfriend more valuable than collecting his money, this is a chief end among the two ultimate ends, and collecting his money is the inferior end. And of course, driving to the city is a subordinate end, because it is desired as a means to accomplish other things. (Edwards also talks about supreme ends, but I’ll refer to it in a follow-up post so as to stay on track.)

I actually think these are still some helpful distinctions to start with and want to use this to clarify my previous post on integrity in scholarship. In it, I claimed that I find it integrous to engage in scholarship as an end to itself–that is, that scholars should engage in scholarship by the sheer joy of gaining knowledge rather than engage in it as a means for other ends such as fame, notoriety, or wealth (if you’re wondering if Christian writing is actually lucrative, Francis Chan purportedly grossed over $500,000 for Crazy Love–though it is claimed he donated 90% of it to charity), implying that it is a noble ultimate end. But as I considered Edwards’ distinctions, it occurred to me that I do not intend to convey that scholarship is a good chief end. It may be a good ultimate end (to engage for the sheer pleasure of its own enjoyment), but it does not have to be a chief end (the greatest end of all ends). Of course, I think for all Christians, their chief end should be to glorify God and enjoy him forever (following the Westminster Shorter Catechism), and I think this chief end trumps all other ends (hence, it is a chief end).

Anyways, here’s the bottom line using Edwards’ terminology: I think scholarship is honorable and integrous as an ultimate end, but not necessarily as a chief end. I think that scholarship is even acceptable as a subordinate end, as long as the greater end (or ultimate end) is honorable and integrous (such as teaching others or developing a greater love for God). And I think scholarship as a subordinate end to a greater/ultimate end of anything self-servient or self-praising is ignoble and disintegrous. I wrote my original post primarily as a self-reminder to engage in scholarship as an ultimate end (i.e., to love the game and not see it as a means to something “greater”). But I also wrote it in part as a criticism of scholars who may consider scholarship (subconsciously or consciously) to be subordinate to the greater end of obtaining fame, notoriety, praise, wealth, or any other ignoble reward (not that I personally know of any–this should not be seen as a criticism of anyone in particular).

I think in my next post, I want to talk about Edwards’ definition of supreme ends and draw out the implications for all of this in how we live and determine purpose.
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Tag: ends

Chief Ends and Ultimate Ends (Part 2): Supreme Implications

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Chief Ends and Ultimate Ends (Part 1): A Review of Jonathan Edwards’ Distinctions

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