Ends Disputing the Means

In the realm of thought, two paths diverge,

One paved with duty, the other with power.

Kantianism stands tall, a beacon of light,

Guided by reason, the moral law within.

“Act only on that maxim,” it whispers,

“Which you can will to be a universal law.”

A world of principles, where duty reigns,

And the ends never justify the means.

Machiavellianism, a shadow in the night,

 Whispers of power, of cunning and might.

“The ends justify the means,” it declares,

A dance of strategy, a game of thrones.

 Virtue is but a tool, to wield and discard,

In the pursuit of power, no rule too hard.

Two philosophies, worlds apart,

One seeks the good, the other promotes guile.

In the heart of man, the battle rages,

Between the noble and the pragmatic stages.