Quotes About Ethics

Is something good because the gods approve of it? Or do the gods approve of it because it is good?

I am convinced that I never wrong anyone intentionally...

Once a man knows good from evil, nothing on earth can compel him to act against that knowledge.

Loin de parler quand on me paie, et de me taire quand on me donne rien.

You are mistaken, my friend, if you think that a man who is worth anything ought to spend his time weighing up the prospects of life and death. He has only one thing to consider in performing any action; that is, whether he is acting justly or unjustly, like a good man or a bad one.

Justice. If only we knew what it was.

Virtue is not given by money, but that from virtue comes money and every other good of man, public as well as private.

Anyone who's really fighting for justice must live as a private citizen and not as a public figure if he's going to survive even a short time.

Bad people live that they may eat and drink, whereas good people eat and drink that they may live.

No man on earth who conscientiously opposes either you or any other organized democracy, and flatly prevents a great many wrongs and illegalities from taking place in the state to which he belongs, can possibly escape with his life. The true champion of justice, if he intends to survive even for a short time, must necessarily confine himself to private life and leave politics alone.

Someone might say: " Are you not ashaed, Socrates, to have followed the kind of occupation that has led to your being now in danger of death?" Howeverm, Ishould be right to reply to him: "You are wrong, sir, if you think that a man who is any good at all should take into account the risk of life or death; he should look to this only in his actions, whether what he does is right or wrong, whether he is acting like a good or bad man

Someone might say: " Are you not ashamed, Socrates, to have followed the kind of occupation that has led to your being now in danger of death?" Howeverm, I should be right to reply to him: "You are wrong, sir, if you think that a man who is any good at all should take into account the risk of life or death; he should look to this only in his actions, whether what he does is right or wrong, whether he is acting like a good or bad man

Nothing that other people can do to you can harm you enough to cancel out the benefit you bestow on yourself by acting rightly. It follows that bad people ultimately harm only themselves: nothing can harm a good man either in life or after death

For I go around doing nothing but persuading both young and old among you not to care for your body or your wealth in preference to or as strongly as for the best possible state of your soul, as I say to you: Wealth does no bring about excellence, but excellence makes wealth and everything else good for men, both individually and collectively

Doing good is a matter of looking after the part of yourself which matters most, namely your soul

Si pensáis que matando a la gente vais a impedir que se os reproche que no vivís rectamente, no pensáis bien. Este medio de evitarlo ni es muy eficaz, ni es honrado. El más honrado y el más sencillo no es reprimir a los demás, sino prepararse para ser lo mejor posible.

Sócrates dijo a sus amigos: «Algunos de vosotros me habéis dicho: Sócrates, si no se ocupara más que de sus asuntos, seguramente podría escapar a la ira del gobierno. Pero yo no puedo. Una vida aceptada sin reflexión, no merece la pena vivirla. Lo menos que se puede esperar de nosotros es que nos comportemos como hombres.»

Knowledge is the only virtue," because "Once a man knows good from evil, nothing on earth can compel him to act against that knowledge.

Gustavo Solivellas dice: "La buena conciencia es la mejor almohada para dormir" (Sócrates)

The purpose in life is to develop a strong character.

Man, you don't speak well, if you believe that a man worth anything at all would give countervailing weight to the danger of life or death, or give consideration to anything but this when he acts: whether his action is just or unjust, the action of a good or of an evil man.

If a man is proud of his wealth, he should not be praised until it is known how he employs it.

Criton - Le principe, que l'important n'est pas de vivre, mais de bien vivre.

I will not yield to any man contrary to what is right, for fear of death, even if I should die at once for not yielding.