--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am free in performing an action if I…" description: "\"I am free in performing an action if I could have done otherwise if I had chosen to.\" — George Edward Moore" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/george-edward-moore-32924_action_i-am-free-in-performing-an-action-if-i-c_1072993.jpg" --- # I am free in performing an action if I could have done… ![“I am free in performing an action if I could have done otherwise if I had chosen to.” quote by George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/george-edward-moore-32924_action_i-am-free-in-performing-an-action-if-i-c_1072993.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/george-edward-moore-32924_action_i-am-free-in-performing-an-action-if-i-c_1072993.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/george-edward-moore-32924_action_i-am-free-in-performing-an-action-if-i-c_1072993.jpg) > “I am free in performing an action if I could have done otherwise if I had chosen to.” [George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom requires the ability to have acted differently under the same circumstances. **In simple terms:** Freedom means having real alternatives. Key Takeaway Recognize and protect genuine choice. Themes free will moral responsibility autonomy Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal decisions - legal judgments - moral dilemmas Key Concepts determinism counterfactuals ethical agency Questions to Reflect On - Do you truly have alternatives in your choices? - How does this view affect moral blame? A Different Perspective Freedom may be limited by external constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ## Related quotes > [Whether it's dance or action, what's important is hand and body co-ordination. 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I have no idea what I wanted to do outside of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/i-was-always-drawn-to-performing-but-i-never-thought-i-could-i-have/) [Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/) > [If you knew the satisfaction of performing such a duty, as well as the gratitude to God which the missionary must always feel, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-livingstone/if-you-knew-the-satisfaction-of-performing-such-a-duty-as-well-as-the/) [David Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-livingstone/) > [PERFORMING TRIBUTE 9/11 shows the heroism of people who have chosen to respond to devastation and hatred with quiet determination and a belief that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arad/performing-tribute-9-11-shows-the-heroism-of-people-who-have-chosen/) [Michael Arad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arad/) > [If you knew the satisfaction of performing a duty, as well as the gratitude to God which the missionary must always feel in being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-livingstone/if-you-knew-the-satisfaction-of-performing-a-duty-as-well-as-the/) [David Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-livingstone/) > [If I could send myself a bunch of snake emojis, I probably would.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alaska/if-i-could-send-myself-a-bunch-of-snake-emojis-i-probably-would/) [Alaska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alaska/) > [Too long have the workers of the world waited for some Moses to lead them out of bondage. I would not lead you out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/too-long-have-the-workers-of-the-world-waited-for-some-moses-to-lead/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [If I could be granted a wish, I'd shine in your eye like a jewel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/if-i-could-be-granted-a-wish-i-d-shine-in-your-eye-like-a-jewel/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [I would prefer to have a more appealing job. If I could still change careers, I would prefer it. This unfortunate art is made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-claudel/i-would-prefer-to-have-a-more-appealing-job-if-i-could-still-change/) [Camille Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-claudel/) > [It's a hard life... but if I could, I would do it all again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalia-makarova/it-s-a-hard-life-but-if-i-could-i-would-do-it-all-again/) [Natalia Makarova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalia-makarova/) > [I grew up in San Diego, so it wasn't hard to move to L.A. to get into show business, but I did the standard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-benson/i-grew-up-in-san-diego-so-it-wasn-t-hard-to-move-to-l-a-to-get-into/) [Doug Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-benson/) > [If I could ever be on a Missy Elliott record, I could then die. Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige - I love hearing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neko-case/if-i-could-ever-be-on-a-missy-elliott-record-i-could-then-die-missy/) [Neko Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neko-case/) > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [If I could find the right kind of property, get tied in with the right movie, I'd love to be involved, but I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/if-i-could-find-the-right-kind-of-property-get-tied-in-with-the-right/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) ## More by George Edward Moore > [The lot of critics is to be remembered by what they failed to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/the-lot-of-critics-is-to-be-remembered-by-what-they-failed-to/) [George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) > [Faith goes out through the window when beauty comes in at the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/faith-goes-out-through-the-window-when-beauty-comes-in-at-the-door/) [George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) > [Now, in my opinion, a woman has no business with Power-Power admits no equal, and dismisses friendship for flattery. Besides, it keeps the men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/now-in-my-opinion-a-woman-has-no-business-with-power-power-admits-no/) [George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) > [Honesty needs no pains to set itself off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/honesty-needs-no-pains-to-set-itself-off/) [George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) > [A great artist is always before his time or behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/a-great-artist-is-always-before-his-time-or-behind-it/) [George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) > [Can't I another's face commend, Or to her virtues be a friend, But instantly your forehead louers, As if her merit lessen'd yours?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/can-t-i-another-s-face-commend-or-to-her-virtues-be-a-friend-but/) [George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) > [Beauty has wings, and too hastily flies, and love, unrewarded, soon sickens and dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/beauty-has-wings-and-too-hastily-flies-and-love-unrewarded-soon/) [George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) > [It does not matter how badly you paint so long as you don't paint badly like other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/it-does-not-matter-how-badly-you-paint-so-long-as-you-don-t-paint/) [George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) > [I'll tell thee what it says; it calls me villain, a treacherous husband, a cruel father, a false brother; one lost to nature and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/i-ll-tell-thee-what-it-says-it-calls-me-villain-a-treacherous-husband/) [George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) > [But I have seen thee And thou art enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/but-i-have-seen-thee-and-thou-art-enough/) [George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) > [Other men it is said have seen angels, but I have seen thee and thou art enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/other-men-it-is-said-have-seen-angels-but-i-have-seen-thee-and-thou/) [George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) > [If I am asked 'what is good?' my answer is that good is good, and that is the end of the matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/if-i-am-asked-what-is-good-my-answer-is-that-good-is-good-and-that-is/) [George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) > [But from the hoop's bewitching round, Her very shoe has power to wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/but-from-the-hoop-s-bewitching-round-her-very-shoe-has-power-to-wound/) [George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) > [All moral laws are merely statements that certain kinds of actions will have good effects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/all-moral-laws-are-merely-statements-that-certain-kinds-of-actions/) [George Edward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) [Explore all 15 George Edward Moore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am free in performing an action if I could have done otherwise if I had chosen to.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Edward Moore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/i-am-free-in-performing-an-action-if-i-could-have-done-otherwise-if-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/i-am-free-in-performing-an-action-if-i-could-have-done-otherwise-if-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/george-edward-moore-32924_action_i-am-free-in-performing-an-action-if-i-c_1072993.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/george-edward-moore-32924_action_i-am-free-in-performing-an-action-if-i-c_1072993.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/george-edward-moore-32924_action_i-am-free-in-performing-an-action-if-i-c_1072993.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am free in performing an action if I could have done otherwise if I had chosen to.” — George Edward Moore", "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": "George Edward Moore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-edward-moore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am free in performing an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/i-am-free-in-performing-an-action-if-i-could-have-done-otherwise-if-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-edward-moore/i-am-free-in-performing-an-action-if-i-could-have-done-otherwise-if-i/#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 } } ] } ```