Quotes about Ethics

Happiness is a thing which calls for honor rather than for praise.

Bad men are full of repentance.

The precepts of the law may be comprehended under these three points: to live honestly, to hurt no man willfully, and to render every man his due carefully.

We ought to be able to persuade on opposite sides of a question; as also we ought in the case of arguing by syllogism: not that we should practice both, for it is not right to persuade to what is bad; but in order that the bearing of the case may not escape us, and that when another makes an unfair use of these reasonings, we may be able to solve them.

To those who cite the disreputable sorts of pleasure one may fairly reply that these are not really pleasant. For we ought not, because they are pleasant to the wrongly disposed, to think they are generally pleasant, or to any but these; just as things that are wholesome or sweet or bitter to the sick, are not so to all, and as things are not really white that seem so to those suffering from opthalmia.

Wicked men obey for fear, but the good for love.

Happiness consists in the consciousness of a life in which the highest Virtue is actively manifested.

It would then be most admirably adapted to the purposes of justice, if laws properly enacted were, as far as circumstances admitted, of themselves to mark out all cases, and to abandon as few as possible to the discretion of the judge.

If happiness is activity in accordance with excellence, it is reasonable that it should be in accordance with the highest excellence.

We should behave to our friends as we would wish our friends to behave to us.

While both [Plato and truth] are dear, piety requires us to honor truth above our friends.

Education and morals will be found almost the whole that goes to make a good man.