Quotes About Ethics

Lying is the same as alcoholism. Liars prevaricate even on their deathbeds.

Its immoral to steal, but you can take things.

If you cant distinguish people from lap-dogs, you shouldnt undertake philanthropic work.

A nice man would feel ashamed even before a dog.

The government is not God. It does not have the right to take away that which it cant return even if it wants to.

There are plenty of good people, but only a very, very few are precise and disciplined.

Neither I nor anyone else knows what a standard is. We all recognize a dishonorable act, but have no idea what honor is.

Chrysippus' questions might be useful. He asked: 'Is there good or bad at hand? Is it appropriate to react?' This could be supplemented with a few more, producing a kind of Chrysippan flowchart:

On the question of speaking, Stoics and Buddhists are at one. In Epictetus' words: 'Be mostly silent, or speak merely when necessary, and in few words. We may enter sparingly into conversation sometimes, when the occasion calls for it; but not about any of the common subjects, such as gladiators, or horse races, or athletic champions, or food, or drink – the vulgar topics of conversation; and especially not about individuals, either to blame, or praise, or make comparisons.

In Buddhism, there are different levels of ethical teachings. The basic rules for good conduct are set out in the precepts. There are five precepts for lay people and rather more for monks. For lay people, the precepts advise refraining from: harming living creatures taking what is not given sexual misconduct false speech taking intoxicants that cause heedlessness

Knowledge of precepts and understanding appropriate action can help us to live ethically. But even more important is cultivating what could be called 'calm emotions'. For the Stoics, these were joy, wishing and caution. These are supposed to be a rational alternative to ordinary kinds of emotions: joy replaces pleasure, wishing replaces desire and caution replaces fear.

Both Buddhism and Stoicism strongly encourage us to cultivate understanding and ethical action through spiritual practice. We may not share their precise views, but they certainly seem correct in their assessment that a good life requires more than positive feelings.

We have the right to lie, but not about the heart of the matter.

Bear in mind that brains and learning, like muscle and physical skill, are articles of commerce. They are bought and sold. You can hire them by the year or by the hour. The only thing in the world not for sale is character.

The good is the brother of the true; it will help its brother.

Las escuelas filosóficas debatían básicamente dos cuestiones. En general, si el vino había sido otorgado a los humanos para enloquecerles o por su bien y, en particular, si –como afirmaban los estoicos– el sabio podía beber sin límite, hasta caer dormido, antes de verse llevado a alguna necedad

si la moral quisiera apoyarse en sanciones legales fomentaría hábitos hipócritas, y si el derecho quisiera sancionar una moral se haría sectario, fomentando el desprecio a sus leyes.

I think there are many more despicable people than I ever imagined.

Yes, this is what good is: to forgive evil. There is no other good.

Ylpeys ja väärämielisyys kostautuvat usein.

A company who cheats its employees gets merely the customers & clients who eat covertly its progress and profit through its workforce only.

A devil on being caught for his evil thought and wrong doings gets the help sought of his buddies asking them to go into public with a mask of a civil to rebuke him first virulently and later on revoke all allegations and aspersions cast on him to give him a clean chit.

A guy who does not feel shy, shame & guilt to speak relentlessly lie in every pie of information has a promising career to reach position very high in the field of politics and journalism. If he also wants to live life king size, fly often in sky, always enjoy at others expenses, first deprive and then pretend to cry over that matter, think selfishly in terms of I,ME & MY then he can also become head of the nation or private organization.

A man can define many things beautifully in his life, but his character is one beautiful thing that can define him instantly and completely.