---
title: "1 Theories Rational Quotes By Allen W. Wood"
description: "1 Theories Rational quotes by Allen W. Wood. Plus more from Allen W. Wood and more Theories Rational sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/allen-w-wood-2748_abstract_it-is-rational-to-choose-the-right-means_112358.jpg"
---

> [It is rational to choose the right means to your ends to develop very elegant abstract formal theories of rational choice, and then turn these into what look like moral theories. Philosophers tend to be ravished by the formal beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/it-is-rational-to-choose-the-right-means-to-your-ends-to-develop-very/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/allen-w-wood-2748_abstract_it-is-rational-to-choose-the-right-means_112358.jpg)

## More by Allen W. Wood

> [For the utilitarian, there is a fact of the matter about the good (the general happiness, or whatever conception of the good the utilitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/for-the-utilitarian-there-is-a-fact-of-the-matter-about-the-good-the/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [No theory about our bodies as mere objects of observation and calculation (as distinct from partners in communicative interaction, assumed to be free) can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/no-theory-about-our-bodies-as-mere-objects-of-observation-and/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [Kantian ethical theory distinguishes three levels: First, that of a fundamental principle (the categorical imperative, formulated in three main ways in Kant's Groundwork); second,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/kantian-ethical-theory-distinguishes-three-levels-first-that-of-a/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [Some empirical feelings, such as sympathy, are indispensable parts of certain moral virtues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/some-empirical-feelings-such-as-sympathy-are-indispensable-parts-of/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [We commit not only theoretical error but also moral wrong in objectifying ourselves or other rational beings, ignoring their capacities for free action and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/we-commit-not-only-theoretical-error-but-also-moral-wrong-in/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [Kant certainly was sympathetic with the metaphysical tradition of rational theology that he criticized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/kant-certainly-was-sympathetic-with-the-metaphysical-tradition-of/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [That Hegel's theory is derivative from Fichte's does not prevent it from being strikingly original and of independent value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/that-hegel-s-theory-is-derivative-from-fichte-s-does-not-prevent-it/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [It is sad to witness the persistence in our society of the racism and xenophobia that seems to be a permanent part of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/it-is-sad-to-witness-the-persistence-in-our-society-of-the-racism-and/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [It is rational to choose the right means to your ends to develop very elegant abstract formal theories of rational choice, and then turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/it-is-rational-to-choose-the-right-means-to-your-ends-to-develop-very/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [We can never prove that we are free or integrate our freedom in any way into our objective conception of the causal order of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/we-can-never-prove-that-we-are-free-or-integrate-our-freedom-in-any/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [Kant regards the universalizability test for maxims as focused on a very special sort of situation: one where the agent is tempted to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/kant-regards-the-universalizability-test-for-maxims-as-focused-on-a/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [My own view is that Kant's conception of the duality of the good (morality and happiness, the good of our person and the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/my-own-view-is-that-kant-s-conception-of-the-duality-of-the-good/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [It is actually a nice question how far Descartes himself endorses the monological and metaphysically dualistic theory of mind associated with his name and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/it-is-actually-a-nice-question-how-far-descartes-himself-endorses-the/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [In fact people do not know enough about themselves and what is good for them to form a sufficiently definite conception of the general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/in-fact-people-do-not-know-enough-about-themselves-and-what-is-good/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [Empiricist philosophy always tends to be anti-philosophy (and is often proud of it).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/empiricist-philosophy-always-tends-to-be-anti-philosophy-and-is-often/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "ItemList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theories-rational/allen-w-wood/#itemlist",
            "name": "1 Theories Rational Quotes By Allen W. Wood",
            "numberOfItems": 1,
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "item": {
                        "@type": "Quotation",
                        "text": "It is rational to choose the right means to your ends to develop very elegant abstract formal theories of rational choice, and then turn these into what look like moral theories. Philosophers tend to be ravished by the formal beauty of such theories, and they don't pay much attention to the fact that our human limitations make them pretty useless in practice, while the simple point about instrumental reasoning is too shallow to be of much real moral interest.",
                        "creator": {
                            "@type": "Person",
                            "name": "Allen W. Wood"
                        },
                        "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/it-is-rational-to-choose-the-right-means-to-your-ends-to-develop-very/",
                        "image": {
                            "@type": "ImageObject",
                            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/allen-w-wood-2748_abstract_it-is-rational-to-choose-the-right-means_112358.jpg",
                            "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/allen-w-wood-2748_abstract_it-is-rational-to-choose-the-right-means_112358.jpg",
                            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/allen-w-wood-2748_abstract_it-is-rational-to-choose-the-right-means_112358.jpg",
                            "width": 1080,
                            "height": 1080,
                            "caption": "“It is rational to choose the right means to your ends to develop very elegant abstract formal theories of…” — Allen W. Wood",
                            "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                            "creator": {
                                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "CollectionPage",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theories-rational/allen-w-wood/#webpage",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theories-rational/allen-w-wood/",
            "name": "Theories Rational Quotes by Allen W. Wood",
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "mainEntity": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theories-rational/allen-w-wood/#itemlist"
            },
            "primaryImageOfPage": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/allen-w-wood-2748_abstract_it-is-rational-to-choose-the-right-means_112358.jpg"
            },
            "description": "1 Theories Rational quotes by Allen W. Wood. Plus more from Allen W. Wood and more Theories Rational sayings from other authors.",
            "breadcrumb": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theories-rational/allen-w-wood/#breadcrumb"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theories-rational/allen-w-wood/#breadcrumb",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Topics",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/categories/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Theories Rational",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theories-rational/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 5,
                    "name": "Allen W. Wood",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theories-rational/allen-w-wood/"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
