No, it was a human thing. You should not insult the brutes…
““No, it was a human thing. You should not insult the brutes by such a misuse of the word; they have not deserved it . . . It is like your paltry race--always lying, always claiming virtues which it hasn't got, always denying them to the higher animals, which alone posses them. No brute ever does a cruel thing--that is the monopoly of those with the Moral Sense. When a brute inflicts pain he does it innocently; it is not wrong; for him there is no such thing as wrong. And he does not inflict pain for the pleasure of inflicting it--only man does that. Inspired by that mongrel Morel Sense of his! A sense whose function is to distinguish between right and wrong, with liberty to choose which of them he will do. Now what advantage can he get out of that? He is always choosing, and in nine time out of ten he prefers the wrong. There shouldn't be any wrong; and without the Moral Sense there couldn't be any. And yet he is such an unreasoning creature that he is not able to perceive that the Moral Sense degrades him to the bottom layer of animated beings and is a shameful possession. Are you feeling better? Let me show you something.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Humans claim moral superiority over animals, yet often act immorally, questioning the value of moral conscience.
In simple terms: Humans think they’re moral but often choose wrong.
Key Takeaway
Question the true worth of moral judgment.
Themes
morality
human nature
ethics
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
provocative
When to use this quote
- Philosophical debates
- ethical education
- animal rights activism
Key Concepts
Moral relativism
anthropocentrism
Questions to Reflect On
- Is morality truly superior to instinct?
- Can we live without moral judgments?
A Different Perspective
The moral sense may be a social construct limiting freedom.