Philosophy Quote by Edgar Allan Poe
““Who has not, a hundred times, found himself committing a vile or silly action for no other reason than because he knows he should not ? Have we not a perpetual inclination, in the teeth of our best judgement, to violate that which is Law , merely because we understand it to be such?””
About This Quote
Source Speech: The Raven Lecture, 1845
Humans often act against their better judgment simply because they recognize the rule they break, revealing a paradox of moral awareness.
In simple terms: People do wrong even when they know they shouldn't.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and question the impulse to break rules.
Themes
morality
human nature
psychology
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- personal decisions
- legal compliance
- ethical dilemmas
Key Concepts
cognitive dissonance
self‑control
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we sometimes seek to violate what we know is right?
- What does this reveal about our sense of autonomy?
A Different Perspective
The tendency to rebel can be a sign of deeper values, not just folly.
![“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions of phantasmatical seeming philosophy." [William Petty]” quote by Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e5a/carl-zimmer-16331_knowledge_i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted_1770.jpg)
