Quotes About Ethics

Ius est ars boni et aequi [Legal justice is the art of the good and the fair].

Fiat justitia ruat coelum [Let justice be done though heaven should fall].

At least a bank robber uses his arms to steal money. I am using money to steal an arm.

Coitados, pensavam que eu gostaria de ler histórias de pessoas sem contrastes, em que os bons são sempre bons e os maus sempre maus, e a bondade e a maldade se acham divididas por uma muralha da China bem definida, e ainda bem, para sabermos de que lado convém estar.

La historia de nuestra civilización es, hasta cierto punto, la historia de un esfuerzo persuasivo por extender los mejores «sentimientos morales» a círculos cada vez más amplios de humanidad

The humans who first devised the Golden Rule, that we should treat others the way we want others to treat us, formulated the precept with the help of what they felt when they were treated badly or when they saw others badly treated. Logic played a role as it worked on facts, to be sure, but some of the critical facts were feelings.

The formulation I presented should not diminish our determination to control external circumstances to the advantage of individuals and society, or our resolve to develop, invent, or perfect the cultural instruments with which we can make the world better: ethics, law, art, science, technology.

e seres humanos que inventam flautas, escrevem poesia, acreditam eu Deus, conquistam o Planeta e o espaço em seu redor, combatem doenças para atenuar o sofrimento, mas também não hesitam em destruir outros seres humanos para seu ganho pessoal, inventam a internet, descobrem maneiras de a transformar num instrumento de progresso e de catástrofe e, ainda por cima, se interrogam sobre as bactérias, formigas, abelhas - e si próprios.

It is against every law of the spirit world that one person can assume responsibility for another's wrongdoing.

And it seems to me, Miss O'Breen, that to forswear mercy is to forswear humanity. If to destroy evil we take up its very weapons, we shall learn in time that all we have destroyed is the best in ourselves. [Jonadab Evans]

Don't touch my dick, don't touch my knife.

Is it better for a man to have chosen evil than to have good imposed upon him?

The important thing is moral choice. Evil has to exist along with good, in order that moral choice may operate. Life is sustained by the grinding opposition of moral entities.

Goodness is something chosen. When a man cannot choose he ceases to be a man.

I see what is right and approve, but I do what is wrong.

It is as inhuman to be totally good as it is to be totally evil.

It may not be nice to be good, little 6655321. It may be horrible to be good. And when I say that to you I realize how self-contradictory that sounds. I know I shall have many sleepless nights about this. What does God want? Does God want goodness or the choice of goodness? Is a man who chooses the bad perhaps in some way better than a man who has the good imposed upon him? Deep and hard questions, little 6655321.

Civilised my syphilised yarbles.

God is not a watchmaker. God is a pimp.

I can't stand politicians who wear God on their sleeves.

I would never do anything to harm the country or anything improper. I think most people who have dealt with me think I'm a pretty straight sort of guy, and I am.

Willing or preferring is the same with respect to good and evil, that judging is with respect to truth or falsehood.

We can force treatment on those who would refuse (chapters 1, 4 and 6); we can separate people from their families.

Thomas Aquinas puts it nicely when he says, "Every time someone sins, they're sinning under the guise of good.