--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From the apparent usefulness of the…" description: "\"From the apparent usefulness of the social virtues, it has readily been inferred by sceptics, both ancient and modern, that all moral distinctions aris..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/389/david-hume-538_ancient_from-the-apparent-usefulness-of-the-soci_3215944.jpg" --- # From the apparent usefulness of the social virtues, it has… ![“From the apparent usefulness of the social virtues, it has readily been inferred by sceptics, both ancient and modern, that all moral distinctions arise from education, and were, at first, invented, and afterwards encouraged ... in order to render men tractable, and subdue their natural ferocity…” quote by David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/389/david-hume-538_ancient_from-the-apparent-usefulness-of-the-soci_3215944.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/389/david-hume-538_ancient_from-the-apparent-usefulness-of-the-soci_3215944.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/389/david-hume-538_ancient_from-the-apparent-usefulness-of-the-soci_3215944.jpg) > “From the apparent usefulness of the social virtues, it has readily been inferred by sceptics, both ancient and modern, that all moral distinctions arise from education, and were, at first, invented, and afterwards encouraged ... in order to render men tractable, and subdue their natural ferocity and selfishness, which incapacitated them for society.” [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral virtues are social constructs created to tame innate selfishness and aggression, making people cooperative. **In simple terms:** Virtues are invented to control selfishness. Key Takeaway Recognize how education shapes morality. Themes ethics society human nature Mood reflective critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - education reform - community building - conflict resolution - leadership training Key Concepts social contract moral psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do cultural differences affect moral education? - Can virtue be cultivated without coercion? A Different Perspective Some argue innate morality exists independent of education. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Arise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arise/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Distinction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinction/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Education Invented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education-invented-6026784/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Ferocity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ferocity/) [Ferocity Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ferocity-selfishness-6026785/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral Distinctions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-distinctions-3541544/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Sceptic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sceptic/) [Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social Virtues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-virtues-1663130/) [Usefulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usefulness/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtues Readily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtues-readily-6026786/) ## Related quotes > [“Humans do not simply, innocently, and honestly disagree with each other about the good, the just, the right, the principles and applications of moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-b-sadler/humans-do-not-simply-innocently-and-honestly-disagree-with-each-other/) [Gregory B. Sadler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-b-sadler/) > [All societies make necessary moral distinctions between high crimes and misdemeanors, mortal and lesser sins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/all-societies-make-necessary-moral-distinctions-between-high-crimes/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Conscience, the sense of right, the power of perceiving moral distinctions, the power of discerning between justice and injustice, excellence and baseness, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ellery-channing/conscience-the-sense-of-right-the-power-of-perceiving-moral/) [William Ellery Channing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ellery-channing/) > [It is impossible to think of Howard Hughes without seeing the apparently bottomless gulf between what we say we want and what we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/it-is-impossible-to-think-of-howard-hughes-without-seeing-the/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [“The ideal capitalism envisioned by advocates of the free market depends upon social virtues and wise policies that it does not itself generate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-snyder/the-ideal-capitalism-envisioned-by-advocates-of-the-free-market/) [Timothy Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-snyder/) > [The Society or Fraternity of Freemasons is more in the nature of a system of Philosophy or of moral and social virtues taught by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-society-or-fraternity-of-freemasons-is-more-in-the-nature-of-a/) [William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/) > [“We have replaced the religious passions with Christian social virtues, and to talk of Man’s triumph in terms of mercy, charity, or compassion is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hopkins/we-have-replaced-the-religious-passions-with-christian-social-virtues/) [Bill Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hopkins/) > [My friend is one who takes me for what I am. A stranger takes me for something else than what I am. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/my-friend-is-one-who-takes-me-for-what-i-am-a-stranger-takes-me-for/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What men call social virtues, good fellowship, is commonly but the virtue of pigs in a litter, which lie close together to keep each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/what-men-call-social-virtues-good-fellowship-is-commonly-but-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Those who speak always and those who never speak are equally unfit for friendship. A food proportion of the talent of listening and speaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/those-who-speak-always-and-those-who-never-speak-are-equally-unfit/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [ I wish \[my wife\] would \[work\] because - especially now the kind of - I mean, honesty is hardly the word. She writes with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/i-wish-my-wife-would-work-because-especially-now-the-kind-of-i-mean/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [I am trying so very hard to stay in the moment despite the ferocity of my ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/i-am-trying-so-very-hard-to-stay-in-the-moment-despite-the-ferocity/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [...to swear with a ferocity that can only be described as a talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/to-swear-with-a-ferocity-that-can-only-be-described-as-a-talent/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [There was a period... when I used to say, with as much ferocity as I could muster, 'I hate Henry James, and I wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/there-was-a-period-when-i-used-to-say-with-as-much-ferocity-as-i/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [Why on earth should we be at each other's throats? Why do people insist on defending their ideas and opinions with such ferocity, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-farrell-2/why-on-earth-should-we-be-at-each-other-s-throats-why-do-people/) [J. G. Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-farrell-2/) ## More by David Hume > [“Beauty in things exists in the mind that contemplates them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/beauty-in-things-exists-in-the-mind-that-contemplates-them/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“It is impossible for us to think of any thing, which we have not antecedently felt, either by our external or internal senses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/it-is-impossible-for-us-to-think-of-any-thing-which-we-have-not/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [All morality depends upon our sentiments; and when any action or quality of the mind pleases us after a certain manner we say it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/all-morality-depends-upon-our-sentiments-and-when-any-action-or/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [And indeed nothing but the most determined scepticism, along with a great degree of indolence, can justify this aversion to metaphysics. For if truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/and-indeed-nothing-but-the-most-determined-scepticism-along-with-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [...virtue is attended by more peace of mind than vice, and meets with a more favourable reception from the world. I am sensible, that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/virtue-is-attended-by-more-peace-of-mind-than-vice-and-meets-with-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [That the sun will not rise tomorrow is no less intelligible a proposition, and implies no more contradiction, than the affirmation, that it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/that-the-sun-will-not-rise-tomorrow-is-no-less-intelligible-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [We may conclude, therefore, that, in order to establish laws for the regulation of property, we must be acquainted with the nature and situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/we-may-conclude-therefore-that-in-order-to-establish-laws-for-the/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [The observation of human blindness and weakness is the result of all philosophy, and meets us at every turn, in spite of our endeavours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-observation-of-human-blindness-and-weakness-is-the-result-of-all/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [The religious hypothesis, therefore, must be considered only as a particular method of accounting for the visible phenomena of the universe: but no just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-religious-hypothesis-therefore-must-be-considered-only-as-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [Manufacturers...gradually shift their places, leaving those countries and provinces which they have already enriched, and flying to others, whether they are allured by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/manufacturers-gradually-shift-their-places-leaving-those-countries/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [We may observe that, in displaying the praises of any humane, beneficent man, there is one circumstance which never fails to be amply insisted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/we-may-observe-that-in-displaying-the-praises-of-any-humane/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“The most perfect happiness, surely, must arise from the contemplation of the most perfect object.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/the-most-perfect-happiness-surely-must-arise-from-the-contemplation/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“They all make up new species of crime and bring unhappiness in their train. When I hear a man is religious , I conclude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/they-all-make-up-new-species-of-crime-and-bring-unhappiness-in-their/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [There is not to be found, in all history, any miracle attested by a sufficient number of men, of such unquestioned good sense, education…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/there-is-not-to-be-found-in-all-history-any-miracle-attested-by-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“But though there be naturally a wide difference in point of delicacy between one person and another, nothing tends further to encrease and improve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/but-though-there-be-naturally-a-wide-difference-in-point-of-delicacy/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) [Explore all 487 David Hume quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [All the stories I have told you are finally as useless as all ancient knowledge is to man and to us. Its images and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/all-the-stories-i-have-told-you-are-finally-as-useless-as-all-ancient/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [Science has revealed a universe that is vast, ancient, violent, strange, and beautiful, a universe of almost infinite variety and possibility one in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/science-has-revealed-a-universe-that-is-vast-ancient-violent-strange/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) [Browse all 2,415 Ancient quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "From the apparent usefulness of the social virtues, it has readily been inferred by sceptics, both ancient and modern, that all moral distinctions arise from education, and were, at first, invented, and afterwards encouraged ... in order to render men tractable, and subdue their natural ferocity and selfishness, which incapacitated them for society.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Hume" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/from-the-apparent-usefulness-of-the-social-virtues-it-has-readily/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ancient" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/from-the-apparent-usefulness-of-the-social-virtues-it-has-readily/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/389/david-hume-538_ancient_from-the-apparent-usefulness-of-the-soci_3215944.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/389/david-hume-538_ancient_from-the-apparent-usefulness-of-the-soci_3215944.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/389/david-hume-538_ancient_from-the-apparent-usefulness-of-the-soci_3215944.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“From the apparent usefulness of the social virtues, it has readily been inferred by sceptics, both ancient…” — David Hume", "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": "David Hume", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "From the apparent usefulness of the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/from-the-apparent-usefulness-of-the-social-virtues-it-has-readily/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/from-the-apparent-usefulness-of-the-social-virtues-it-has-readily/#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 } } ] } ```