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Konnichiwa, ive got a sentence from 人間失格: "それらの手段を求める為には、自分の持ち物全部を売却しても悔いない気持さえ、抱くようになりました。" And I'm stuck concerning the meaning of 求める cause ive found two : もと・める【求める】 読み方:もとめる

[動マ下一][文]もと・む[マ下二]

1 欲しいと望む。ほしがる。「平和を—・める」「権力を—・める」

4 買って手に入れる。購入する。「古書を—・める」 Is it "in order to buy or get those methods... " or "because he desires those methods... " By the way in the book 手段 refers to alcool, tabacco etc...

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  • That 為に can't be indicating reason. It wouldn't be followed by は if it did.
    – aguijonazo
    Commented Oct 14, 2022 at 22:53

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Since the second part talks about selling assets ("持ち物全部を売却しても"), I'm inclined to think it as "in order to purchase". Note that in this sense of 求める, commercial transaction is normally implied. I wouldn't add "or get". I don't think it can have a broader meaning of "to get something [by arbitrary means]", unless it's used metaphorically.

Another interpretation of "to seek" may be okay, but I would rather expect other constructions like 求めようとして in that case.

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