Fornication Quote by Justice Joseph Story Supreme Court
“If marriage be an institution derived from the law of nature, then, whatever has a natural tendency to discourage it or to destroy its value, is by the same law prohibited. Hence we may deduce the criminality of fornication, incest, adultery, seduction and other lewdness..”
About This Quote
The passage argues that natural law opposes marriage, deeming related sexual acts criminal under that same law.
In simple terms: Natural law opposes marriage, labeling related acts criminal.
Key Takeaway
Consider moral foundations before condemning behaviors.
Themes
law
marriage
morality
Mood
analytical
historical
controversial
Type
Fornication:1
Law of nature:1
Marriage:1
Nature:0
Law Nature:0
Marriage Institution:0
Criminality Fornication:0
Fornication Incest:0
When to use this quote
- court opinion
- academic analysis
- public policy
Key Concepts
natural law
legal theory
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- How does natural law apply today?
- What alternative moral frameworks exist?
A Different Perspective
Historical legal views may not align with modern ethics.
![“[The aim of science is] to explain what so far has taken to be an explicans, such as a law of nature. The task of empirical science constantly renews itself. We may go on forever, proceeding to explanations of a higher and higher universality...” quote by Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f4e/karl-popper-2167_aim_the-aim-of-science-is-to-explain-what-so_121944.jpg)
