Character Quote by Iris Murdoch
““We need to return from the self-centred concept of sincerity to the other-centred concept of truth. We are not isolated free choosers, monarchs of all we survey, but benighted creatures sunk in a reality whose nature we are constantly and overwhelmingly tempted to deform by fantasy. Our current picture of freedom encourages a dream-like facility; whereas what we require is a renewed sense of the difficulty and complexity of the moral life and the opacity of persons. We need more concepts in terms of which to picture the substance of our being; it is through an enriching and deepening of concepts that moral progress takes place. Simone Weil said that morality was a matter of attention not of will. We need a new vocabulary of attention.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Moral Life,” 1975
She argues that moving from self‑centered sincerity to other‑centered truth requires richer concepts and attention, as morality is about noticing rather than will.
In simple terms: Moral progress needs deeper concepts and attentive focus.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate attention and richer vocabulary.
Themes
morality
attention
conceptual depth
truth
self‑centeredness
other‑centeredness
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- education
- ethical decision‑making
- personal growth
- public discourse
Key Concepts
philosophical analysis
ethical vocabulary
cognitive expansion
Questions to Reflect On
- What concepts limit your moral understanding?
- How can you practice attentive morality?
A Different Perspective
Complex moral issues resist simple solutions.
![“the essence of sin is not [primarily] the violation of laws but a wrecked relationship with God, one another, and the whole created order. “All sins are attempts to fill voids,” wrote Simone Weil.” quote by Timothy J. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a0c/timothy-j-keller-3733_relationship-with-go_the-essence-of-sin-is-not-primarily-the_1694853.jpg)
