Empathy Quote by Jonathan Balcombe
“I sense that, without sensitivity to physical pain and pleasure, man would not have known self-interest, and consequently know just or unjust acts. Thus, physical sensitivity and self-interest are the authors of all justice.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Paradox of Animal Welfare (2020)
Physical sensations shape self-interest, which underpins moral judgments about justice and injustice.
In simple terms: Feeling pain and pleasure drives our sense of right and wrong.
Key Takeaway
Recognize bodily awareness as a moral foundation.
Themes
ethics
biology
self‑interest
justice
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
explanatory
When to use this quote
- animal welfare debates
- personal ethics
- legal theory
Key Concepts
sensory experience
moral philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- Can morality exist without physical feeling?
- How do societies define justice beyond self‑interest?
A Different Perspective
Physical focus may ignore cultural and rational influences on morality.
![“That is another theme in the book [Dreams from My Father]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we get the black to see through the eyes of the white? Or the citizen to see through the eyes of the immigrant? Or the straight to see through the eyes of the gay? That has…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00d/barack-obama-17_black_that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams_10185.jpg)
