--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those who have a scientific outlook on…" description: "\"“Those who have a scientific outlook on human behaviour, moreover, find it impossible to label any action as ‘sin’; they realise that what we do has its ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/bertrand-russell-69_habits_those-who-have-a-scienti-c-outlook-on-hu_1137931.jpg" --- # Those who have a scientific outlook on human behaviour… ![“Those who have a scientific outlook on human behaviour, moreover, find it impossible to label any action as ‘sin’; they realise that what we do has its origin in our heredity, our education, and our environment, and that it is by control of these causes, rather than by denunciation, that conduct…” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/bertrand-russell-69_habits_those-who-have-a-scienti-c-outlook-on-hu_1137931.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/bertrand-russell-69_habits_those-who-have-a-scienti-c-outlook-on-hu_1137931.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae9/bertrand-russell-69_habits_those-who-have-a-scienti-c-outlook-on-hu_1137931.jpg) > ““Those who have a scientific outlook on human behaviour, moreover, find it impossible to label any action as ‘sin’; they realise that what we do has its origin in our heredity, our education, and our environment, and that it is by control of these causes, rather than by denunciation, that conduct injurious to society is to be prevented.”” [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human behavior is shaped by genetics, upbringing, and surroundings; labeling actions as sin is ineffective, control of causes prevents harmful conduct. **In simple terms:** Behavior stems from heredity, education, environment; control, not condemnation, prevents harm. Key Takeaway Focus on influencing underlying factors. Themes ethics psychology social responsibility Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - education reform - public policy - family counseling - community programs Key Concepts determinism behavioral control preventive ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance cause control with personal responsibility? - What role does moral judgment play in societal prevention? A Different Perspective It may overlook personal accountability and moral agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conduct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conduct/) [Denunciation Conduct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denunciation-conduct-3158933/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Human behaviour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-behaviour/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Sin Realise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin-realise-3158932/) [Society Prevented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-prevented-3158931/) ## Related quotes > [Right conduct can never, except by some rare accident, be promoted by ignorance or hindered by knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/right-conduct-can-never-except-by-some-rare-accident-be-promoted-by/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [We shall use the terms morality, behavior, conduct, or constructive action in the same broad way. It may sound strange to speak of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-patten/we-shall-use-the-terms-morality-behavior-conduct-or-constructive/) [William Patten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-patten/) > [“I like to go to Starbucks and watch the intellectuals. I observe them and their intellectualness. They in turn observe me drinking coffee and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-lilly/i-like-to-go-to-starbucks-and-watch-the-intellectuals-i-observe-them/) [Ryan Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-lilly/) > [If there were a clear prospect that such evils were part of a barbarian past, then at least we might find a small crumb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-conway-morris/if-there-were-a-clear-prospect-that-such-evils-were-part-of-a/) [Simon Conway Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-conway-morris/) > [“Shakespeare's plays do not present easy solutions. The audience has to decide for itself. King Lear is perhaps the most disturbing in this respect.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-carter/shakespeare-s-plays-do-not-present-easy-solutions-the-audience-has-to/) [Ronald Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-carter/) > [I'm fascinated by human behaviour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-abrams/i-m-fascinated-by-human-behaviour/) [Gracie Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-abrams/) > [“If you survey healing throughout history and across contemporary cultures, and even within our own culture, you will encounter an extraordinary and fascinating range…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-heap/if-you-survey-healing-throughout-history-and-across-contemporary/) [Michael Heap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-heap/) > [Theatre is a concentrate of life as normal. Theatre is a purified version of real life, an extraction, an essence of human behaviour that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/theatre-is-a-concentrate-of-life-as-normal-theatre-is-a-purified/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [“And he thought how in all the cases he'd solved the heart of crime seemed closer to his waking dreams than his own shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-godwin/and-he-thought-how-in-all-the-cases-he-d-solved-the-heart-of-crime/) [Richard Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-godwin/) > [“...you’d be amazed at the grand tales the human brain will throw up to make sense of something nonsensical.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-hardy/you-d-be-amazed-at-the-grand-tales-the-human-brain-will-throw-up-to/) [Dianna Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-hardy/) > [“Most people cannot stand being alone for long. They are always seeking groups to belong to, and if one group dissolves, they look for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/most-people-cannot-stand-being-alone-for-long-they-are-always-seeking/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“Children should be taught about history not as is usually the case now, that this is the record of long past events, which one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/children-should-be-taught-about-history-not-as-is-usually-the-case/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“I love science, current affairs, engines, bikes,lipsticks, human behaviour”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malebo-sephodi/i-love-science-current-affairs-engines-bikes-lipsticks-human-behaviour/) [Malebo Sephodi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malebo-sephodi/) > [“I used to believe, when I was 'just' a reader, that writers, because they wrote books where truth was found, because they described the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-used-to-believe-when-i-was-just-a-reader-that-writers-because-they/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“I think this is one bad side of a mirror; it helps us to see the reflection of the effects of our own actions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/i-think-this-is-one-bad-side-of-a-mirror-it-helps-us-to-see-the/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) ## More by Bertrand Russell > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [All movements go too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/all-movements-go-too-far/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. Amid such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/such-in-outline-but-even-more-purposeless-more-void-of-meaning-is-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Dr. Arnold . . . the admired reformer of public schools, came across some cranks who thought it a mistake to flog boys. Anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/dr-arnold-the-admired-reformer-of-public-schools-came-across-some/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/of-all-evils-of-war-the-greatest-is-the-purely-spiritual-evil-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/aristotle-maintained-that-women-have-fewer-teeth-than-men-although-he/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-an-opinion-contrary-to-your-own-makes-you-angry-that-is-a-sign/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I cannot escape from the conclusion that the great ages of progress have depended upon a small number of individuals of transcendent ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-cannot-escape-from-the-conclusion-that-the-great-ages-of-progress/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The newspapers at one time said that I was dead but after carefully examining the evidence I came to the conclusion that this statement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-newspapers-at-one-time-said-that-i-was-dead-but-after-carefully/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/persecution-is-used-in-theology-not-in-arithmetic-because-in/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/many-orthodox-people-speak-as-though-it-were-the-business-of-sceptics/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [There is no greater reason for children to honour parents than for parents to honour children except, that while the children are young, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-is-no-greater-reason-for-children-to-honour-parents-than-for/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Explore all 1,620 Bertrand Russell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## More Conduct quotes > [Let everyone regulate his conduct... by the golden rule of doing to others as in similar circumstances we would have them do to us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/let-everyone-regulate-his-conduct-by-the-golden-rule-of-doing-to/) [William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/) > [Al Jazeera is a representation of, you know, diversity in the Arab world. In our newsroom, we have every single nationality, we have every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/al-jazeera-is-a-representation-of-you-know-diversity-in-the-arab/) [Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/) > [Aggressive and hard-charging women violate unwritten rules about acceptable social conduct. Men are continually applauded for being ambitious and powerful and successful, but women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/aggressive-and-hard-charging-women-violate-unwritten-rules-about/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Be kindly and just in your dealings with your men. Never play favorites. Make them feel that justice tempered with mercy may always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-lejeune/be-kindly-and-just-in-your-dealings-with-your-men-never-play/) [John A. Lejeune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-lejeune/) > [Absolute morality is the regulation of conduct in such a way that pain shall not be inflicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/absolute-morality-is-the-regulation-of-conduct-in-such-a-way-that/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [Lenity will operate with greater force, in some instances, than rigor. It is, therefore, my first wish, to have my whole conduct distinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/lenity-will-operate-with-greater-force-in-some-instances-than-rigor/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The border is varied depending on the geography, depending on the specific venue, and depending on the conduct of individuals around it. We don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/the-border-is-varied-depending-on-the-geography-depending-on-the/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [The Icesave matter is complex and it is understandable that the issue has been oversimplified by many. Unfortunately some of the basic facts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-siguroardottir/the-icesave-matter-is-complex-and-it-is-understandable-that-the-issue/) [Johanna Siguroardottir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-siguroardottir/) > [Our First Amendment expresses a far different calculus for regulating speech than for regulating nonexpressive conduct and that is as it should be. 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