In Dostoyevsky's novel Crime and Punishment the main character plots and carries out the murder of an old woman who has a considerable amount of money in her apartment. After killing her, he steals the money. He argues that 1) she is a malicious old woman, petty, cantankerous and scheming, useless to herself and to society (which happens to be true), and her life causes no happiness to herself or to others; and 2) her money if found after her death would only fall into the hands of swindlers anyway. Whereas he would use it for his education. Is this action justified?

No, the action of the main character Rodion Raskolnikov is not justified.

Explanation:

Fyodor Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment" revolves around the mental anguish aided with the moral dilemma of the main character Rodion Raskolnikov. As an impoverished ex-law student, he planned to get money for his education by killing a rich and unscrupulous elderly pawnbroker.

His act of killing her, if considered on the angle he had presented, may seem fair and justifiable. But, whatever acts of violence, no matter who or how or how it led to it, is not justifiable in the real world. Ethically, the murder act alone is condemnable, for it results in the loss of life. Whatever the woman may have been, Rodion have no right to deprive her of living, no matter what his purpose or motive may be. Of course, getting money and continuing his education may seem a noble thing, a good decision, but when it involves the exchange of money with the life of a person, then the whole act / the very act of the murder cannot be ever justified.