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?