Character Quote by Albert Schweitzer
“Ethics, too, are nothing but reverence for life. This is what gives me the fundamental principle of morality, namely, that good consists in maintaining, promoting, and enhancing life, and that destroying, injuring, and limiting life are evil.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: The Philosophy of Civilization, Albert Schweitzer, 1931
Morality is rooted in reverence for life; protecting and enhancing life is good, harming it is evil.
In simple terms: Moral good = protecting life; moral evil = harming life.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize actions that support and uplift life.
Themes
ethics
life
morality
compassion
Mood
thoughtful
inspirational
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- medical practice
- environmental activism
- personal decision making
- policy development
Key Concepts
biocentrism
ethical philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance life‑preserving values with competing societal norms?
- What actions in your life reflect reverence for life?
A Different Perspective
Life‑centric ethics may conflict with cultural practices that value other principles.
![“What does Reverence for Life say abut the relations between [humanity] and the animal world? Whenever I injury any kind of life I must be quite certain that it is necessary. I must never go beyond the unavoidable, not even in apparently insignificant things. The farmer who has mowed down a…” quote by Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/930/albert-schweitzer-701_amusement_what-does-reverence-for-life-say-abut-th_685565.jpg)
