Addict Quote by Isaac Asimov
“It is no defense of superstition and pseudoscience to say that it brings solace and comfort to people. . . . If solace and comfort are how we judge the worth of something, then consider that tobacco brings solace and comfort to smokers; alcohol brings it to drinkers; drugs of all kinds bring it to addicts; the fall of cards and the run of horses bring it to gamblers; cruelty and violence bring it to sociopaths. Judge by solace and comfort only and there is no behavior we ought to interfere with.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Moral Obligation of Science", 1973
The quote argues that comfort and solace are poor criteria for judging the value of practices, as many harmful behaviors also provide comfort.
In simple terms: Comfort alone is an insufficient moral measure.
Key Takeaway
Do not equate comfort with moral good.
Themes
ethics
critical thinking
science
society
health
Mood
cautious
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
ethical
analytical
When to use this quote
- public policy
- health education
- addiction treatment
- legal regulation
- personal decision making
Key Concepts
utilitarianism
consequentialism
human behavior
Questions to Reflect On
- What other criteria should guide moral judgments?
- How can we balance comfort with harm reduction?
A Different Perspective
Comfort can be deceptive; harmful actions may also be comforting.
![“Superstition [is] cowardice in the face of the Divine,’ wrote Theophrastus, who lived during the founding of the Library of Alexandria. We inhabit a universe where atoms are made in the centers of stars; where each second a thousand suns are born; where life is sparked by sunlight and lightning in…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/256/anonymous-1_astronomy_superstition-is-cowardice-in-the-face-of_981334.jpg)
