Arbitrary Quote by Julien Offray de La Mettrie
“It is convention and arbitrary rewards which make all the merit and demerit of what we call vice and virtue.”
About This Quote
Source Philosophy: Discourse on the Method of Nature, 1755
Societal norms and rewards shape our judgments of good and bad, rather than intrinsic moral truth.
In simple terms: Rewards and conventions label actions as vice or virtue.
Key Takeaway
Question the basis of moral judgments.
Themes
morality
social constructs
ethics
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- legal systems
- personal decisions
- cultural criticism
- education policies
Key Concepts
conventionalism
relativism
Questions to Reflect On
- What rewards influence your view of virtue?
- Can virtue exist without external incentives?
A Different Perspective
Moral labels can be manipulated by changing rewards.
