Skip to content

There are four kinds of Homicide: felonious, excusable…

“There are four kinds of Homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable, and praiseworthy.” quote by Ambrose Bierce
Download Open image
“There are four kinds of Homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable, and praiseworthy.”

Ambrose Bierce

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote classifies homicide into four categories, ranging from criminal to morally commendable.

In simple terms: Homicide can be seen as criminal, exc,, justifiable, or praiseworthy.

Key Takeaway

Recognize moral nuance in judgments of killing.

Themes

ethics law morality justice

Mood

serious thoughtful

Type

analytical philosophical

When to use this quote

  • courtroom deliberations
  • policy debates
  • media analysis
  • public discourse
  • ethical training

Key Concepts

criminal law moral philosophy social norms

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do societies decide which killings are justified?
  • When does praise for killing become dangerous?
A Different Perspective

Legal definitions vary across cultures, making universal classification difficult.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Ambrose Bierce

Explore all 1,157 Ambrose Bierce quotes

More Four quotes

Browse all 7,977 Four quotes