Compassion Quote by Arthur Schopenhauer
“For an act to be moral the intention must be based on compassion, not duty. We do something because we want to do it, because we feel we have to do it, not because we ought to do it. And even if our efforts fail - or we never even get to implement them - we are still moral because our motivation was based on compassion.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The World as Will and Representation, Arthur Schopenhauer, 1818
Moral worth comes from compassionate intent rather than merely fulfilling obligations; true ethics arise from caring motives.
In simple terms: Compassion, not duty, makes actions moral.
Key Takeaway
Act from compassion, not obligation.
Themes
ethics
motivation
compassion
duty
morality
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
inspirational
Type
philosophical
ethical
motivational
When to use this quote
- volunteering
- caregiving
- social work
- personal relationships
- activism
Key Concepts
Kantian duty
utilitarianism
virtue ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- What motivates your actions more, compassion or duty?
- Can duty coexist with compassion?
A Different Perspective
Compassion alone may not guarantee effective outcomes; duty can provide structure.
![“[T]he appropriate form of address between man and man ought to be, not monsieur, sir, but fellow sufferer, compagnon de miseres.” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/be6/arthur-schopenhauer-226_addresses_t-he-appropriate-form-of-address-between_32897.jpg)
![“[Materialism] seeks the primary and most simple state of matter, and then tries to develop all the others from it; ascending from mere mechanism, to chemism, to polarity, to the vegetable and to the animal kingdom. And if we suppose this to have been done, the last link in the chain would be…” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/88c/arthur-schopenhauer-226_animal-kingdom_materialism-seeks-the-primary-and-most-s_50402.jpg)
