Quotes About Ethics

In Plato's theory the Forms, and in particular the Form of the Good, are eternal, extra-mental, realities. They are a very central structural element in the fabric of the world. But it is held also that just knowing them or 'seeing' them will not merely tell men what to do but will ensure that they do it, overruling any contrary inclinations.

It is a hard fact that cruel actions differ from kind ones, and hence that we can learn, as in fact we all do, to distinguish them fairly well in practice, and to use the words 'cruel' and 'kind' with fairly clear descriptive meanings; but is it an equally hard fact that actions which are cruel in such a descriptive sense are to be condemned?

The discipline of desire is the background of character.

The dread of evil is a much more forcible principle of human actions than the prospect of good.

In transgressing the law of nature, the offender declares himself to live by another rule than that of reason and common equity" Ch.2, 8

For it will be very difficult to persuade men of sense that he who with dry eyes and satisfaction of mind can deliver his brother to the executioner to be burnt alive, does sincerely and heartily concern himself to save that brother from the flames of hell in the world to come.

Moral laws are set as a curb and restraint to these exorbitant desires, which they cannot be but by rewards and punishments, that will over-balance the satisfaction any one shall propose to himself in the breach of the law.

making laws with penalties of death, and consequently

He that had as good left for his improvement as was already taken up, needed not complain, ought not to meddle with what was already improved by another's labour:

the law of the land, which is not to be violated.

he, as much as he can, to preserve the rest of mankind, and may not, unless it be to do justice to an offender, take away or impair the life, or what tends to the preservation of life, the liberty, health, limb, or goods of another.

This makes it lawful for a man to kill a thief

And therefore the punishment of those who would not follow him, was to lose their souls, i. e. their lives

man can never be obliged in conscience to submit to any power, unless he can be satisfied who is the person who has a right to exercise that power over him.

Whether there be any such moral principles, wherein all men do agree, I appeal to any who have been but moderately conversant in the history of mankind, and looked abroad beyond the smoke of their own chimneys.

And amongst those who are counted the civilized part of mankind

He was only to look that he used them before they spoiled, else he took more than his share, and robbed others.

Right and conveniency went together; for as a man had a right to all he could employ his labour upon, so he had no temptation to labour for more than he could make use of. This left no room for controversy about the title, nor for encroachment on the right of others ; what portion a man carved to himself was easily seen: and it was useless, as well as dishonest, to carve himself too much, or take more than he needed.

nadie puede transferir a otro más poder del que encerrare en sí, y nadie sobre sí goza de poder absoluto y arbitrario, ni sobre los demás tampoco, que le permitiere destruir su vida o arrebatar la vida o propiedad ajena.

govern his actions according to the dictates of the law of reason which God had implanted in him.

Adam's children, being not presently as soon as born under this law of reason, were not presently free : for law, in its true notion, is not so much the limitation, as the direction of a free and intelligent agent to his proper interest, and prescribes no farther than is for the general good of those under that law:

A good lawyer is a bad Christian.

It's nice to be important, but it's important to be nice.

The foundation of morality is to have done, once and for all, with lying.