Do the Ends Justify the Means?

Milgram’s Obedience Experiments

• Milgram’s research demonstrated the power of an authority figure. His research demonstrated that given the right environmental conditions people will obey an authority figure to the point that they are willing to subject another human being to serious physical harm.

This research helps us to understand many historical events as well as serving as a warning to the dangers of corrupt authority figures. Some claim that Milgram’s research was so definite and so influential to the understanding of obedience that it virtually closed down the field for further research on obedience. In order to gain these shocking results Milgram subjected his partipants to extreme tension. Participants were ordered to electrocute another participant. In the process of obeying Participants suffered from extreme tension. One participant even suffered a seizure.