Abuse Quote by Christine de Pizan
![“Causing any damage or harm to one party in order to help another party is not justice, and likewise, attacking all feminine conduct [in order to warn men away from individual women who are deceitful] is contrary to the truth, just as I will show you with a hypothetical case. Let us suppose they…” quote by Christine de Pizan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/57a/christine-de-pizan-13257_abuse_causing-any-damage-or-harm-to-one-party_1474061.jpg)
““Causing any damage or harm to one party in order to help another party is not justice, and likewise, attacking all feminine conduct [in order to warn men away from individual women who are deceitful] is contrary to the truth, just as I will show you with a hypothetical case. Let us suppose they did this intending to draw fools away from foolishness. It would be as if I attacked fire -- a very good and necessary element nevertheless -- because some people burnt themselves, or water because someone drowned. The same can be said of all good things which can be used well or used badly. But one must not attack them if fools abuse them.””
About This Quote
Source Treatise: The Book of the City of Ladies, 1405
Justice should not punish beneficial things merely because they are misused; good things remain good despite misuse.
In simple terms: Don't punish good things because some misuse them.
Key Takeaway
Protect beneficial things, even when misused.
Themes
justice
ethics
misuse
good_vs_bad
philosophy
Mood
thoughtful
reflective
Type
philosophical
ethical
advisory
When to use this quote
- lawmaking
- education
- public policy
- personal relationships
- resource management
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
ethical reasoning
human nature
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance protecting good things while preventing abuse?
- When should we intervene against misuse?
A Different Perspective
If the misuse causes severe harm, ignoring it may enable further damage.
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![“Does a rake deserve to possess anything of worth, since he chases everything in skirts and then imagines he can successfully hide his shame by slandering [women in general]?” quote by Christine de Pizan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6ff/christine-de-pizan-13257_deserve_does-a-rake-deserve-to-possess-anything_259776.jpg)
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