Quotes About Ethics

In a state therefore of great equality and virtue, where pure and simple manners prevailed, the increase of the human species would evidently be much greater than any increase that has been hitherto known.

What I say is that there are not half a dozen papers in the United States which tamper with the news, which publish what they know to be false. But if I thought I had done no better than that, I would be ashamed to own a paper. You have to make everyone connected with the paper believe that accuracy is to a newspaper what virtue is to a woman.

You a role model by way of someone will model after your role. They'll model themselves after what they perceive is success. That doesn't mean they take your morality and virtue seriously. They want what you want, and they're willing to do what you do to get it.

The sciences have ever been the surest guides to virtue.

The word virtue is as useful to self-interest as the vices.

Money and virtue must always be combined.

I'm not saying that atheists can't act morally or have moral knowledge. But when I ascribe virtue to an atheist, it's as a theist who sees the atheist as conforming to objective moral values. The atheist, by contrast, has no such basis for morality. And yet all moral judgments require a basis for morality, some standard of right and wrong.

In the midst of vice we are in virtue, and vice versa.

Blessedness is not the reward of virtue but virtue itself.

More people are flattered into virtue than bullied out of vice.

We do not despise all those who have vices, but we do despise those that have no virtue.

The difference is too nice - Where ends the virtue or begins the vice.

Women's virtue is frequently nothing but a regard to their own quiet and a tenderness for their reputation.

Virtue is defined to be mediocrity, of which either extreme is vice.

Accuracy is to a newspaper what virtue is to a lady, but a newspaper can always print a retraction.

Conscience is the sentinel of virtue.

Superior virtue must be the fruit of superior intelligence.

Justice is rather the activity of truth, than a virtue in itself. Truth tells us what is due to others, and justice renders that due. Injustice is acting a lie.

A country cannot subsist well without liberty, nor liberty without virtue.

Accuracy to a newspaper is what virtue is to a lady; but a newspaper can always print a retraction.

Laws and customs may be creative of vice; and should be therefore perpetually under process of observation and correction: but laws and customs cannot be creative of virtue: they may encourage and help to preserve it; but they cannot originate it.

Well may your heart believe the truths I tell; 'Tis virtue makes the bliss, where'er we dwell.

'24' and 20th Century Fox and Sky TV are not responsible for training the U.S. military. It is not our job to do. To me, this is almost as absurd as saying, 'The Sopranos' supports the mafia, and by virtue of that, HBO supports the mafia.'

However great an evil immorality may be, we must not forget that it is not without its beneficial consequences. It is only through extremes that men can arrive at the middle path of wisdom and virtue.