---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we say that this definition of good…"
description: "\"“When we say that this definition of good and evil is objective, what we mean is that it is as objective as we can be at this time, and to the best of ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fff/gregory-david-roberts-1039_etc_when-we-say-that-this-definition-of-good_1666299.jpg"
---

#  When we say that this definition of good and evil is…

![“When we say that this definition of good and evil is objective, what we mean is that it is as objective as we can be at this time, and to the best of our knowledge about the universe. This definition is based on what we know about how the universe works. It is not based on the revealed wisdom of…” quote by Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fff/gregory-david-roberts-1039_etc_when-we-say-that-this-definition-of-good_1666299.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fff/gregory-david-roberts-1039_etc_when-we-say-that-this-definition-of-good_1666299.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fff/gregory-david-roberts-1039_etc_when-we-say-that-this-definition-of-good_1666299.jpg)

> ““When we say that this definition of good and evil is objective, what we mean is that it is as objective as we can be at this time, and to the best of our knowledge about the universe. This definition is based on what we know about how the universe works. It is not based on the revealed wisdom of any one faith or political movement. It is common to the best principles of all of them, but it is based on what we know rather than what we believe. In that sense, it is objective. Of course, what we know about the universe, and our place in it, is constantly changing as we add more information and gain new insights. We are never perfectly objective about anything, that is true, but we can be less objective, or we can be more objective.””

[Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote defines objective good and evil as based on current scientific understanding, not faith, while acknowledging limits of knowledge.

**In simple terms:** Objective morality is based on what we know, not belief.

Key Takeaway

Seek knowledge, stay humble about moral judgments.

Themes

ethics science knowledge humility

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- policy making
- education
- personal decisions
- interfaith dialogue

Key Concepts

epistemology relativism

Questions to Reflect On

- What does it mean to be more objective?
- How should we act when knowledge is incomplete?

A Different Perspective

Objective claims can be challenged by new discoveries.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Good and evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-and-evil/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

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