--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The same principle that forbids me to lie…" description: "\"The same principle that forbids me to lie does not allow me to tell the truth.\" — Giacomo Casanova" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/201/giacomo-casanova-4227_doe_the-same-principle-that-forbids-me-to-li_2859920.jpg" --- # The same principle that forbids me to lie does not allow… ![“The same principle that forbids me to lie does not allow me to tell the truth.” quote by Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/201/giacomo-casanova-4227_doe_the-same-principle-that-forbids-me-to-li_2859920.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/201/giacomo-casanova-4227_doe_the-same-principle-that-forbids-me-to-li_2859920.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/201/giacomo-casanova-4227_doe_the-same-principle-that-forbids-me-to-li_2859920.jpg) > “The same principle that forbids me to lie does not allow me to tell the truth.” [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral paradox: forbidding lies also blocks truth-telling. **In simple terms:** Truth is constrained by honesty. Key Takeaway Recognize ethical complexities. Themes philosophy ethics paradox Mood thoughtful provocative Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - personal relationships - legal testimony - journalism Key Concepts Moral absolutism communication Questions to Reflect On - Is honesty always best? - When does truth cause harm? A Different Perspective Truth may be harmful; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forbids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forbids/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Telling the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-the-truth/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [You are the only one who defines you, so don't ever allow anyone to tell you who you are, or that you are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-the-only-one-who-defines-you-so-don-t-ever-allow-anyone-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You have to - you have to allow something to tell you what it wants to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gord-downie/you-have-to-you-have-to-allow-something-to-tell-you-what-it-wants-to/) [Gord Downie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gord-downie/) > [If someone knows me and likes me or my work, they're more likely to allow me to tell their story. But it also cuts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/if-someone-knows-me-and-likes-me-or-my-work-they-re-more-likely-to/) [Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/) > [Song forbids victorious deeds to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/song-forbids-victorious-deeds-to-die/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [His wife's a brand of Christian that forbids a gathering that involves young women dancing in the streets but not races where men die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/his-wife-s-a-brand-of-christian-that-forbids-a-gathering-that/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [I insist that there is nothing sacred in the life of an invader, and there is no valid principle of human society that forbids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/i-insist-that-there-is-nothing-sacred-in-the-life-of-an-invader-and/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [The Constitution of the U.S. forbids everything like an establishment of a national religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-constitution-of-the-u-s-forbids-everything-like-an-establishment/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“An inscription, dating to the late fifth century B.C., forbids that anyone tan hides or throw litter into the Ilissos, further stipulating that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/an-inscription-dating-to-the-late-fifth-century-b-c-forbids-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ceremony forbids us to express by words things that are lawful and natural, and we obey it; reason forbids us to do things unlawful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/ceremony-forbids-us-to-express-by-words-things-that-are-lawful-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [ABC forbids political activity by journalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/abc-forbids-political-activity-by-journalists/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) > [Business by no means forbids pleasures; on the contrary, they reciprocally season each other; and I will venture to affirm, that no man enjoys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/business-by-no-means-forbids-pleasures-on-the-contrary-they/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Slavery is a wrong to each individual enslaved; and not merely to the first of a series. Natural law, therefore, as much forbids the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/slavery-is-a-wrong-to-each-individual-enslaved-and-not-merely-to-the/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Unlike the United States Congress, which mostly forbids outside employment, state legislatures are generally composed of people with other careers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/unlike-the-united-states-congress-which-mostly-forbids-outside/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) > [The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-law-in-its-majestic-equality-forbids-the-rich-as-well-as-the-poor/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [Modesty forbids what the law does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/modesty-forbids-what-the-law-does-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Giacomo Casanova > [If you have not done things worthy of being written about, at least write things worthy of being read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/if-you-have-not-done-things-worthy-of-being-written-about-at-least/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [I have often met with happiness after some imprudent step which ought to have brought ruin upon me, and although passing a vote of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/i-have-often-met-with-happiness-after-some-imprudent-step-which-ought/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [Thence, I suppose, my natural disposition to make fresh acquaintances, and to break with them so readily, although always for a good reason, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/thence-i-suppose-my-natural-disposition-to-make-fresh-acquaintances/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [“faith must believe without discussion, and the stronger it is, the more it keeps silent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/faith-must-believe-without-discussion-and-the-stronger-it-is-the-more/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [“Oh, cruel ennui! It must be by mistake that those who have invented the torments of hell have forgotten to ascribe thee the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/oh-cruel-ennui-it-must-be-by-mistake-that-those-who-have-invented-the/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [Heart and head are the constituent parts of character; temperament has almost nothing to do with it, and, therefore, character is dependent upon education,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/heart-and-head-are-the-constituent-parts-of-character-temperament-has/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [Man is free; yet we must not suppose that he is at liberty to do everything he pleases, for he becomes a slave the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/man-is-free-yet-we-must-not-suppose-that-he-is-at-liberty-to-do/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [To Kiss : An attempt to absorb the essence of the other person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/to-kiss-an-attempt-to-absorb-the-essence-of-the-other-person/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [ Man is free; but not unless he believes he is\[.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/man-is-free-but-not-unless-he-believes-he-is/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [Real love is the love that sometimes arises after sensual pleasure: if it does, it is immortal; the other kind inevitably goes stale, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/real-love-is-the-love-that-sometimes-arises-after-sensual-pleasure-if/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [The spirit of rebellion is present in every great city, and the great task of wise government is to keep it dormant, for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/the-spirit-of-rebellion-is-present-in-every-great-city-and-the-great/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [I have lived as a philosopher and die as a Christian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/i-have-lived-as-a-philosopher-and-die-as-a-christian/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [We avenge intelligence when we deceive a fool, and the victory is worth the trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/we-avenge-intelligence-when-we-deceive-a-fool-and-the-victory-is/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [There is no such thing as a perfectly happy or perfectly unhappy man in the world. One has more happiness in his life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-perfectly-happy-or-perfectly-unhappy-man/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [Hatred, in the course of time, kills the unhappy wretch who delights in nursing it in his bosom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/hatred-in-the-course-of-time-kills-the-unhappy-wretch-who-delights-in/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) [Explore all 111 Giacomo Casanova quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) ## More Doe quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Sometimes a sign or a quote is simply interesting by itself and does not require anything beyond being framed on a page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/sometimes-a-sign-or-a-quote-is-simply-interesting-by-itself-and-does/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [A home is not a museum. It doesn't have to be furnished with Picasso paintings, or Sheraton suites, or Oriental rugs, or Chinese pottery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-home-is-not-a-museum-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-furnished-with-picasso/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If Wall Street crashes, does Main Street follow? Not necessarily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/if-wall-street-crashes-does-main-street-follow-not-necessarily/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-von-hindenburg/it-does-not-seem-to-me-to-be-sufficiently-recognized-everywhere-among/) [Paul von Hindenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-von-hindenburg/) Browse all 25,574 Doe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The same principle that forbids me to lie does not allow me to tell the truth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Giacomo Casanova" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/the-same-principle-that-forbids-me-to-lie-does-not-allow-me-to-tell/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Doe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/the-same-principle-that-forbids-me-to-lie-does-not-allow-me-to-tell/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/201/giacomo-casanova-4227_doe_the-same-principle-that-forbids-me-to-li_2859920.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/201/giacomo-casanova-4227_doe_the-same-principle-that-forbids-me-to-li_2859920.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/201/giacomo-casanova-4227_doe_the-same-principle-that-forbids-me-to-li_2859920.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The same principle that forbids me to lie does not allow me to tell the truth.” — Giacomo Casanova", "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": "Giacomo Casanova", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The same principle that forbids me...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/the-same-principle-that-forbids-me-to-lie-does-not-allow-me-to-tell/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/the-same-principle-that-forbids-me-to-lie-does-not-allow-me-to-tell/#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 } } ] } ```