Quotes About Ethics

We talk on principle, but we act on interest.

A man's vanity tells him what is honor, a man's conscience what is justice.

Lex malla, lex nulla. A bad law is no law.

Everyone is more than one thing," said Kieran. "We are more than single actions we undertake, whether they be good or evil.

No, i mean enterprising." said Will. "When I mean morally deficient, I say,`Now, that is something i would have done´

Is it really love to tell someone that if it came down to picking between them and every other life on the planet, you'd pick them? Is that — I don't know, is that a moral sort of love at all?' 'Love isn't moral or immoral,' said Clary. 'It just is.' 'I know,' Simon said. 'But the actions we take in the name of love, those are moral or immoral.

I do not believe you can threaten people into goodness." - Jem Carstairs

The good suffer, the evil flourish, and all that is mortal passes away.

Goodness, real goodness, has it's own sort of cruelty to it.

Sed lex, dura lex

You could know a man not by what his friends said about him, but by how he treated his servants.

I believe in good and evil," said Jem. "And I believe the soul is eternal. But I don't believe in the fiery pit, the pitchforks, or endless torment. I do not believe you can threaten people into goodness.

I don't suppose it would help if I told you that is the way life is. The good suffer, the evil flourish, and all that is mortal passes away.

You think they are kind, that the Nephilim are kind, because they are good, but goodness is not kindness, and there is nothing crueler than virtue.

I think when we make choices—for each choice is individual of the choices we have made before—we must examine not only our reasons for making them but what result they will have, and whether good people will be hurt by our decisions.

To marry a girl just to make her a widow," said Gabriel Lightwood. "Many would say that was not a kindness.

Are you, monsieur, a man of your word?" "It really depends upon the word," Magnus said. "There are so many wonderful words...

And that - he pointed ahead - is the road to Hell. That's where we're going. I have always heard it was paved with good intentions, said Simon

Careful, boy," rumbled Gwyn. "You have your Laws and we have ours. The difference is only that we do not pretend ours are not cruel.

I do not believe you can threaten people into goodness.

Don't look pleased with yourself. When Will says 'enterprising, ' he means 'morally deficient. '" "No, I mean enterprising, " said Will. "When I mean morally deficient, I say, 'Now, that's something I would have done.

Some are just born bad, and that's all there is to it.

Moreover, I wish to assure you both that I did not make any amorous advances on female monkeys.

Retribution or Revenge?" Visitors are asked to ponder whether the attack was "justified legal retribution, an act of revenge, or some combination of both."29