--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When man learns to respect even the…" description: "\"When man learns to respect even the smallest being of creation...nobody has to teach him to love his fellow man. Compassion for animals is intimately c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/albert-schweitzer-701_animal_when-man-learns-to-respect-even-the-smal_2093138.jpg" --- # When man learns to respect even the smallest being of… ![“When man learns to respect even the smallest being of creation...nobody has to teach him to love his fellow man. Compassion for animals is intimately connected with goodness of character, and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man.” quote by Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/albert-schweitzer-701_animal_when-man-learns-to-respect-even-the-smal_2093138.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/albert-schweitzer-701_animal_when-man-learns-to-respect-even-the-smal_2093138.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/albert-schweitzer-701_animal_when-man-learns-to-respect-even-the-smal_2093138.jpg) > “When man learns to respect even the smallest being of creation...nobody has to teach him to love his fellow man. Compassion for animals is intimately connected with goodness of character, and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man.” [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Treating all creatures with respect reveals a person's moral character; cruelty to animals indicates a flawed humanity. **In simple terms:** Respect for animals shows moral character. Key Takeaway Cultivate kindness toward all beings. Themes ethics compassion character animal welfare Mood reflective serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - parenting - education - animal rights activism - community building Key Concepts moral philosophy empathy integrity Questions to Reflect On - How does your treatment of animals reflect your broader values? - Can you identify moments where you showed compassion to humans? A Different Perspective Compassion alone does not guarantee ethical behavior in all areas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animal compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal-compassion/) [Animal ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal-ethics/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Compassion Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion-animals-1934212/) [Connected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connected/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Cruel Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruel-animals-1249394/) [Cruel To Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruel-to-animals/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Fellow man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fellow-man/) [Fellows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fellows/) [Good man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Goodness Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness-character-2813982/) [Man Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-compassion-564207/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Smallest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smallest/) [Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach/) ## Related quotes > [Compassion for animals is intimately associated with goodness of character, and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/compassion-for-animals-is-intimately-associated-with-goodness-of/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [Compassion for animals is intimately connected with goodness of character; and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/compassion-for-animals-is-intimately-connected-with-goodness-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My father quoted Shakespeare to me often and when I lay a book down with splayed pages he told me better to be cruel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-wade/my-father-quoted-shakespeare-to-me-often-and-when-i-lay-a-book-down/) [Christine Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-wade/) > [I am not brutal or cruel to animals. 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That these animals suffer through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-gere/as-custodians-of-the-planet-it-is-our-responsibility-to-deal-with-all/) [Richard Gere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-gere/) > [Toothaches afflict those who have no compassion for animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nachman-of-breslov/toothaches-afflict-those-who-have-no-compassion-for-animals/) [Nachman of Breslov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nachman-of-breslov/) > [Both my wife and I have a lot of compassion for animals in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/biz-stone/both-my-wife-and-i-have-a-lot-of-compassion-for-animals-in-general/) [Biz Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/biz-stone/) > [Goodness is about character - integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/goodness-is-about-character-integrity-honesty-kindness-generosity/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [It is much easier to show compassion to animals. They are never wicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-selassie/it-is-much-easier-to-show-compassion-to-animals-they-are-never-wicked/) [Haile Selassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-selassie/) ## More by Albert Schweitzer > [Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/every-patient-carries-her-or-his-own-doctor-inside/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Ethics is the activity of man directed to secure the inner perfection of his own personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/ethics-is-the-activity-of-man-directed-to-secure-the-inner-perfection/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Because I have confidence in the power of truth, and of the spirit, I have confidence in the future of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/because-i-have-confidence-in-the-power-of-truth-and-of-the-spirit-i/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Man's ethics must not end with man, but should extend to the universe. 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The world will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/i-still-remain-convinced-that-truth-love-peaceableness-meekness-and/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Whatever you have received more than others-in health, in talents, in ability, in success, in a pleasant childhood, in harmonious conditions of home life-all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/whatever-you-have-received-more-than-others-in-health-in-talents-in/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Every start on an untrodden path is a venture which only in unusual circumstances looks sensible and likely to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/every-start-on-an-untrodden-path-is-a-venture-which-only-in-unusual/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) [Explore all 400 Albert Schweitzer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. 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He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? 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It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When man learns to respect even the smallest being of creation...nobody has to teach him to love his fellow man. 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