Quotes About Ethics

Self-interest is but the survival of the animal in us. Humanity only begins for man with self-surrender.

Before crime is committed conscience must be corrupted, and every bad man who succeeds in reaching a high point of wickedness begins with this.

It is inexcusable for scientists to torture animals; let them make their experiments on journalists and politicians.

I have another duty equally sacred… My duty to myself.

For the ancient Greeks, the ultimate test of the educational system was the moral and political quality of the students that it produced

Torture when inflicted on children becomes indefensible. Even among those who believe that torture is a defensible practice to extract information, the case for inflicting pain and abuse upon children proves impossible to support.

If we define an American fascist as one who in case of conflict puts money and power ahead of human beings, then there are undoubtedly several million fascists in the United States.

What we must understand is that the industries, processes, and inventions created by modern science can be used either to subjugate or liberate. The choice is up to us.

There are probably several hundred thousand if we narrow the definition to include only those who in their search for money and power are ruthless and deceitful.

Women have, commonly, a very positive moral sense; that which they will, is right; that which they reject, is wrong; and their will, in most cases, ends by settling the moral.

Good men do the most harm.

Double standards are inspiration to men of letters, but they are apt to be fatal to politicians.

Man can either be less than man or more than man, and both are monsters, the last more dread.

There is only one test of any political scheme or adventure in government. It is the quality of the human being produced by the political order and by the way of life occasioned by that order.

Patriotism must be founded on great principals and supported by great virtue.

Absolute liberty is absence of restraint; responsibility is restraint; therefore, the ideally free individual is responsible to himself.

Don't believe that winning is really everything. It's more important to stand for something. If you don't stand for something, what do you win

And so it must be in every man while his moral habits are not purified; and, though there may be many shades, some of a more and some a less pronounced and settled character, yet there are, after all, only two main classes. A man must either deny or indulge himself. There is no middle or indifferent state—for the not denying is indulgence; it is throwing the reins on the neck of his lusts, though he may lack boldness to set the spur;

I would rather be right than be President.

I would rather be right than President.

Of all the properties which belong to honorable men, not one is so highly prized as that of character.

Sir, I would rather be right than to be President.

I'd rather be right than be President

Sir, I had rather be right than to be President.