Quotes About Ethics

I am always reading immoral books on the sly, and then selfishly trying to prevent other people from having the same wicked good time.

The lie, as a virtue, a principle, is eternal; the lie, as a recreation, a solace, a refuge in time of need, the fourth Grace, the tenth Muse, man's best and surest friend is immortal

If a person kills a tree before its time, it is like having murdered a soul.-Rabbi Nachman

Is is always time to do the right thing.

We have souls. Sure we do. Otherwise we'd do bad things all the time. You know, like politicians.

Always be just and honest so that every time you look at the mirror you don't see an abominable creature on it!

I have to do this all the time - choosing what to print based on how it might come back to harm people from whom I've earned trust.

I love Seth Rogen's line in which he talks about how you can be both a genius and decent at the same time.

Scientists who have dedicated their lives to building machines that think, feel that it's only a matter of time before some form of consciousness is captured in the laboratory.

I've been an animal rights activist and a vegan for 28 years. The entire time, I've asked myself: How do I best advance an animal rights agenda?

How can you pass laws about things that nobody knows?" "They do it all the time," says Hayden. "That's what law is: educated guesses at right and wrong.

Right is right, and wrong is wrong, and a body ain't got no business doing wrong when he ain't ignorant and knows better.

Honesty: The best of all the lost arts.

I do not wish any reward but to know I have done the right thing.

To do good is noble. To tell others to do good is even nobler and much less trouble.

If man could be crossed with a cat, it would improve man but deteriorate the cat.

What's the use you learning to do right when it's troublesome to do right and ain't no trouble to do wrong, and the wages is just the same?

I don't like to commit myself about Heaven and Hell, you see, I have friends in both places.

The wise thing is for us diligently to train ourselves to lie thoughtfully, judiciously; to lie with a good object, and not an evil one; to lie for others' advantage, and not our own; to lie healingly, charitably, humanely, not cruelly, hurtfully, maliciously; to lie gracefully and graciously, not awkwardly and clumsily; to lie firmly, frankly, squarely, with head erect, not haltingly, tortuously, with pusillanimous mien, as being ashamed of our high calling.

To be a patriot, one had to say, and keep on saying, Our Country, right or wrong, and urge on the little war. Have you not perceived that that phrase is an insult to the nation?

Now what I contend is that my body is my own, at least I have always so regarded it. If I do harm through my experimenting with it, it is I who suffer, not the state.

The joy of killing! the joy of seeing killing done - these are traits of the human race at large.

It is never wrong to do the right thing.

There is no distinctly native American criminal class save Congress.