Character Quote by Jeremy Bentham
““Hence we see the emptiness of all those rhapsodies of commonplace morality, which consist in the taking of such names as lust, cruelty, and avarice, and branding them with marks of reprobation: applied to the thing, they are false; applied to the name, they are true indeed, but nugatory.””
About This Quote
Source Book: An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, 1789
Critiques moral labels that sound virtuous but mask underlying self‑interest, exposing their emptiness when applied superficially
In simple terms: Moral terms can be empty if they hide true motives
Key Takeaway
Question the substance behind moral labels
Themes
morality
language
philosophy
critique
Mood
skeptical
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- political discourse
- media commentary
- personal ethical reflection
Key Concepts
ethical relativism
semantic analysis
virtue signaling
Questions to Reflect On
- Do moral labels ever truly reflect virtue?
- How can we discern genuine ethics from mere rhetoric?
A Different Perspective
Labels may still guide behavior despite their emptiness
