Absence Quote by Gertrude Himmelfarb
“For Rousseau and Mandeville the absence of a moral instinct meant the laws of society had no moral validity, they were nothing but the inventions of the cunning and the powerful, in order to maintain or to acquire an unnatural and unjust superiority over the rest of their fellow creatures.”
About This Quote
Source Philosophy: Rousseau and Mandeville, 18th century treatises
They argue that without an innate moral sense, laws are merely tools of the powerful, lacking ethical legitimacy.
In simple terms: Laws need moral instinct to be just.
Key Takeaway
Question moral foundations of law.
Themes
philosophy
politics
ethics
power
law
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- legal reform
- human rights advocacy
- political education
- policy analysis
Key Concepts
social contract
moral instinct
legitimacy
Questions to Reflect On
- What defines a moral instinct?
- Can laws be just without shared morality?
A Different Perspective
Moral instincts may be culturally variable, complicating universal standards.
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