Quotes About Ethics

Toda la publicidad, toda la propaganda, tan variada en sus formas, que busca excitar el deseo de lo superfluo, tanto en el campo como entre los obreros, debe ser considerada un crimen.

L'esprit de verite peut resider dans la science a la condition que le mobile du savant soit l'amour de l'objet qui est la matiere de son etude... La vraie definition de la science, c'est qu'elle est l'etude de la beaute du monde

Base motives have in them more energy than noble ones. Problem: in what way can the energy belonging to the base motives be transferred to the noble ones?

The object of an action and the level of the energy by which it is carried out are distinct from each other. A certain thing must be done. But where is the energy to be drawn for its accomplishment? A virtuous action can lower a man if there is not enough energy available on the same level.

The unjust will of an entire nation is by no means superior to the unjust will of a single individual.

We have invented the distinction between justice and charity. It is easy to understand why. Our notion of justice dispenses him who possesses from the obligation of giving. If he gives all the same, he thinks he has a right to be pleased with himself.

A görögök nem ismerték a jog fogalmát. Még szavuk sem volt rá. Beérték az igazság nevével.

Le véritable esprit de 1789 consiste à penser, non pas qu'une chose est juste parce que le peuple la veut, mais qu'à certaines conditions le vouloir du peuple a plus de chances qu'aucun autre vouloir d'être conforme à la justice.

If I ever hear that 'can't make an omelet' phrase again, I'll start doing a little murder myself! It's used to justify every atrocity under every despotism, Fascist or Nazi, or Communist or American labor war. Omelet! Eggs! By God, sir, men's souls and blood are not eggshells for tyrants to break!

It keeps strays in the flock. To word it differently: 'You must live up to the popular code if you believe in it; but if you don't believe in it, then you MUST live up to it!

I can never forgive evil and lying and cruel means, and still less can I forgive fanatics that use that for an excuse!

You see, we don't like murder as a way of argument—that's what really marks the Liberal!

I can never forgive evil and lying and cruel means, and still less can I forgive fanatics that use that for an excuse! If I may imitate Romain Rolland, a country that tolerates evil means — evil manners, standards of ethics — for a generation, will be so poisoned that it never will have any good end.

I just wish people wouldn't quote Lincoln or the Bible, or hang out the flag or the cross, to cover up something that belongs more to the bank-book and the three golden balls.

he delighted in failing to tell cook that the peas were now ripe, and he was given to shooting cats, stray dogs, chipmunks, and honey-voiced blackbirds. At least twice a day, Doremus resolved to fire him, but—— Perhaps he was telling himself the truth when he insisted that it was amusing to try to civilize this prize bull.

Now you boys never mind about the moral side of this. We have power, and power is its own excuse!

As a newspaper man, Doremus remembered that the only reporters who misrepresented and concealed facts more unscrupulously than the Capitalists were the Communists.

For they were thieves not only of wages but of honor. To their purpose they could quote not only Scripture but Jefferson.

I am not the law, but I represent justice so far as my feeble powers go.

There are times, young fellah, when every one of us must make a stand for human right and justice, or you never feel clean again.

My business is that of every other good citizen - to uphold the law.

At the moment our human world is based on the suffering and destruction of millions of non-humans. To perceive this and to do something to change it in personal and public ways is to undergo a change of perception akin to a religious conversion. Nothing can ever be seen in quite the same way again because once you have admitted the terror and pain of other species you will, unless you resist conversion, be always aware of the endless permutations of suffering that support our society.

Some of you rich men have to be taught that all the world cannot be bribed into condoning your offences.","Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

You can understand,' said Holmes very suavely, 'that I extend to the affairs of my other clients the same secrecy which I promise to you in yours.