Another doctrine repugnant to civil society, is that…
““Another doctrine repugnant to civil society, is that whatsoever a man does against his conscience, is sin; and it dependeth on the presumption of making himself judge of good and evil. For a man's conscience and his judgement are the same thing, and as the judgement, so also the conscience may be erroneous.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Hobbes argues that conscience and moral judgment are identical, but both can be mistaken, so relying on personal conscience alone is unreliable.
In simple terms: Conscience can be wrong.
Key Takeaway
Question your own judgments.
Themes
morality
conscience
philosophy
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- ethical decision making
- legal judgments
- personal dilemmas
- religious debates
Key Concepts
subjectivity
error
judgment
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you verify the correctness of your conscience?
- When should external standards guide moral choices?
A Different Perspective
Personal conscience may be biased or uninformed.