--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you tie a man's hands there is nothing…" description: "\"If you tie a man's hands there is nothing moral about his not committing murder.\" — Auberon Herbert" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/198/auberon-herbert-28820_about_if-you-tie-a-man-s-hands-there-is-nothin_1016840.jpg" --- # If you tie a man's hands there is nothing moral about his… ![“If you tie a man's hands there is nothing moral about his not committing murder.” quote by Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/198/auberon-herbert-28820_about_if-you-tie-a-man-s-hands-there-is-nothin_1016840.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/198/auberon-herbert-28820_about_if-you-tie-a-man-s-hands-there-is-nothin_1016840.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/198/auberon-herbert-28820_about_if-you-tie-a-man-s-hands-there-is-nothin_1016840.jpg) > “If you tie a man's hands there is nothing moral about his not committing murder.” [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If a man’s hands are bound, moral judgment about his potential to kill is irrelevant. **In simple terms:** Bound hands remove moral relevance to murder. Key Takeaway Focus on actions, not potential. Themes morality law agency Mood serious inquisitive Type ethical legal analysis When to use this quote - legal judgment - self‑defense - crime prevention - philosophical debate Key Concepts ethical theory determinism Questions to Reflect On - How should law treat potential versus actual actions? - What role does intent play in moral assessment? A Different Perspective Ignores intent and future possibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Committing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committing/) [Committing Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committing-murder-1477818/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Hands Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands-moral-2242911/) [His](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/his/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral Committing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-committing-2242913/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Tie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tie/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [Carrying a loaded firearm is the gateway crime to committing a murder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-mccarthy/carrying-a-loaded-firearm-is-the-gateway-crime-to-committing-a-murder/) [Garry McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-mccarthy/) > [There was no black or white. Someone who had been good her entire life could, in fact, do something evil. People were just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/there-was-no-black-or-white-someone-who-had-been-good-her-entire-life/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [To kill someone for committing murder is a punishment incomparably worse than the crime itself. Murder by legal sentence is immeasurably more terrible than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/to-kill-someone-for-committing-murder-is-a-punishment-incomparably/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“I told them you almost certainly were not a serial killer, and that they were being horribly sexist by assuming that of the two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/i-told-them-you-almost-certainly-were-not-a-serial-killer-and-that/) [Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/) > [“Hey, Draco, you know what I bet is even better for becoming friends than exchanging secrets? Committing murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/hey-draco-you-know-what-i-bet-is-even-better-for-becoming-friends/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [If somebody murders somewhere, I have a part in it. Even if I am a sleeper - I was sleeping, I don´t know about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/if-somebody-murders-somewhere-i-have-a-part-in-it-even-if-i-am-a/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [A red tie is contrary to the dignity of the tie and of male dress in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-abboud/a-red-tie-is-contrary-to-the-dignity-of-the-tie-and-of-male-dress-in/) [Joseph Abboud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-abboud/) > [Democracy presumes that we're all created equal; competition proves we are not, or else every race would end in a tie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/democracy-presumes-that-we-re-all-created-equal-competition-proves-we/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [I don't really believe in elegance. Ever since I first came to France many years ago to do the Chambre Syndicale course, I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-menkes/i-don-t-really-believe-in-elegance-ever-since-i-first-came-to-france/) [Suzy Menkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-menkes/) > [Democracy can tie your hands in a rock 'n' roll band, you know? It can be a great thing, but if you've got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-isbell/democracy-can-tie-your-hands-in-a-rock-n-roll-band-you-know-it-can-be/) [Jason Isbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-isbell/) > [We read that Adam and Methuselah lived so many centuries; at that time, it was the custom to marry in the family - marry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-heindel/we-read-that-adam-and-methuselah-lived-so-many-centuries-at-that-time/) [Max Heindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-heindel/) > [I used to be able to eat and drink whatever I wanted. But now, when I'm in a suit and tie all the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/i-used-to-be-able-to-eat-and-drink-whatever-i-wanted-but-now-when-i-m/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [“If we want to decode our community's deep-seated fibers, we must go and see the world and explore the significant distinctions and resemblances. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/if-we-want-to-decode-our-community-s-deep-seated-fibers-we-must-go/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [You got to realize that the vision, the image, according to 1964 U.S. rock and roll standards, was mohair suit and tie, and nicey-nicey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-keys/you-got-to-realize-that-the-vision-the-image-according-to-1964-u-s/) [Bobby Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-keys/) > [I injured myself politically when I took on Jesse Jackson' in the 1988 presidential campaign. I was too strident. I didn't recognize the emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/i-injured-myself-politically-when-i-took-on-jesse-jackson-in-the-1988/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) ## More by Auberon Herbert > [If we cannot by reason, by influence, by example, by strenuous effort, and by personal sacrifice, mend the bad places of civilization, we certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/if-we-cannot-by-reason-by-influence-by-example-by-strenuous-effort/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [If government half a century ago had provided us with all our dinners and breakfasts, it would be the practice of our orators today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/if-government-half-a-century-ago-had-provided-us-with-all-our-dinners/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [And what sort of philosophical doctrine is thi - that numbers confer unlimited rights, that they take from some persons all rights over themselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/and-what-sort-of-philosophical-doctrine-is-thi-that-numbers-confer/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [We hold that what one man cannot morally do, a million men cannot morally do, and government, representing many millions of men, cannot do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/we-hold-that-what-one-man-cannot-morally-do-a-million-men-cannot/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [“By what right do men exercise power over each other?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/by-what-right-do-men-exercise-power-over-each-other/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [The career of a politician mainly consists in making one part of the nation do what it does not want to do, in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/the-career-of-a-politician-mainly-consists-in-making-one-part-of-the/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [Deny human rights, and however little you may wish to do so, you will find yourself abjectly kneeling at the feet of that old-world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/deny-human-rights-and-however-little-you-may-wish-to-do-so-you-will/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [How, then, can the rights of three men exceed the rights of two men? In what possible way can the rights of three men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/how-then-can-the-rights-of-three-men-exceed-the-rights-of-two-men-in/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [The ruling idea of the politician - stated rather bluntly - is that those who are opposed to him exist for the purpose of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/the-ruling-idea-of-the-politician-stated-rather-bluntly-is-that-those/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [Every tax or rate, forcibly taken from an unwilling person, is immoral and oppressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/every-tax-or-rate-forcibly-taken-from-an-unwilling-person-is-immoral/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [You will not make a man wiser by taking freedom of action from him. A man can only learn when he is free to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/you-will-not-make-a-man-wiser-by-taking-freedom-of-action-from-him-a/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [The course that will restore to the workmen a father's duties and responsibilities, between which and themselves the state has now stepped, is for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/the-course-that-will-restore-to-the-workmen-a-father-s-duties-and/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [It is the small owner who offers the only really profitable and reliable material for taxation. He is made for taxation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/it-is-the-small-owner-who-offers-the-only-really-profitable-and/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [There never yet has been a great system sustained by force under which all the best faculties of men have not slowly withered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/there-never-yet-has-been-a-great-system-sustained-by-force-under/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [Do you not see, first, that - as a mental abstract - physical force is directly opposed to morality; and secondly, that it practically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/do-you-not-see-first-that-as-a-mental-abstract-physical-force-is/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) [Explore all 19 Auberon Herbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you tie a man's hands there is nothing moral about his not committing murder.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Auberon Herbert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/if-you-tie-a-man-s-hands-there-is-nothing-moral-about-his-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/if-you-tie-a-man-s-hands-there-is-nothing-moral-about-his-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/198/auberon-herbert-28820_about_if-you-tie-a-man-s-hands-there-is-nothin_1016840.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/198/auberon-herbert-28820_about_if-you-tie-a-man-s-hands-there-is-nothin_1016840.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/198/auberon-herbert-28820_about_if-you-tie-a-man-s-hands-there-is-nothin_1016840.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you tie a man's hands there is nothing moral about his not committing murder.” — Auberon Herbert", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "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": "Auberon Herbert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you tie a man's hands...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/if-you-tie-a-man-s-hands-there-is-nothing-moral-about-his-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/if-you-tie-a-man-s-hands-there-is-nothing-moral-about-his-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@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 } } ] } ```