--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men think they may justly do that for…" description: "\"Men think they may justly do that for which they have a precedent.\" — Marcus Tullius Cicero" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d7/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_example_men-think-they-may-justly-do-that-for-wh_1683822.jpg" --- # Men think they may justly do that for which they have a… ![“Men think they may justly do that for which they have a precedent.” quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d7/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_example_men-think-they-may-justly-do-that-for-wh_1683822.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d7/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_example_men-think-they-may-justly-do-that-for-wh_1683822.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d7/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_example_men-think-they-may-justly-do-that-for-wh_1683822.jpg) > “Men think they may justly do that for which they have a precedent.” [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People act based on established precedents, justifying future actions. **In simple terms:** Precedents shape behavior. Key Takeaway Recognize influence of past actions. Themes ethics law history Mood critical reflective Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - legal decisions - organizational policy - personal habits Key Concepts precedent theory social psychology Questions to Reflect On - When should you challenge a precedent? - How to create positive precedents? A Different Perspective Blindly following precedent can hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Precedent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precedent/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [You must first of all think justly. Don’t sit in judgment over others when you don’t know the truth of the matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pramoedya-ananta-toer/you-must-first-of-all-think-justly-don-t-sit-in-judgment-over-others/) [Pramoedya Ananta Toer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pramoedya-ananta-toer/) > [To think justly, we must understand what others mean. To know the value of our thoughts, we must try their effect on other minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/to-think-justly-we-must-understand-what-others-mean-to-know-the-value/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Nothing in oratory is more important than to win for the orator the favour of his hearer, and to have the latter so affected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nothing-in-oratory-is-more-important-than-to-win-for-the-orator-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [There are men who can think no deeper than a fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/there-are-men-who-can-think-no-deeper-than-a-fact/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Earnest men never think in vain, though their thoughts may be errors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/earnest-men-never-think-in-vain-though-their-thoughts-may-be-errors/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [All literature, all philosophical treatises, all the voices of antiquity are full of examples for imitation, which would all lie unseen in darkness without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/all-literature-all-philosophical-treatises-all-the-voices-of/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [A man's own manner and character is what most becomes him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/a-man-s-own-manner-and-character-is-what-most-becomes-him/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Writing is for men who can think and feel, not mindless sensation seekers out of nightclubs and bars. But these are bad times. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/writing-is-for-men-who-can-think-and-feel-not-mindless-sensation/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [Men think that not being able to wire a plug somehow makes them more creative or intellectual. It just makes them morons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-may/men-think-that-not-being-able-to-wire-a-plug-somehow-makes-them-more/) [James May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-may/) > [I used to look at gay men and think, 'I'm not like that, I don't want to be like that, that's not me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-martin/i-used-to-look-at-gay-men-and-think-i-m-not-like-that-i-don-t-want-to/) [Ricky Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-martin/) > [“Wise men think and speak alike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/wise-men-think-and-speak-alike/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [Most men, when they think they are thinking, are merely rearranging their prejudices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/knute-rockne/most-men-when-they-think-they-are-thinking-are-merely-rearranging/) [Knute Rockne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/knute-rockne/) > [“this is the great secret, which was known to all educated men in our day: that by what men think, we create the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-zimmer-bradley/this-is-the-great-secret-which-was-known-to-all-educated-men-in-our/) [Marion Zimmer Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-zimmer-bradley/) > [A woman isn't as old as she thinks she is. She's as old as men think she is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-burke/a-woman-isn-t-as-old-as-she-thinks-she-is-she-s-as-old-as-men-think/) [Billie Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-burke/) > [“I think men think about their penises as much as women think about molestation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-leigh-stewart/i-think-men-think-about-their-penises-as-much-as-women-think-about/) [Christy Leigh Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-leigh-stewart/) ## More by Marcus Tullius Cicero > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Let art, then, imitate nature, find what she desires, and follow as she directs. For in invention nature is never last, education never first;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/let-art-then-imitate-nature-find-what-she-desires-and-follow-as-she/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/gratitude-is-not-only-the-greatest-of-virtues-but-the-parent-of-all/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Things sacred should not only be touched with the hands, but unviolated in thought. \[Lat., Res sacros non modo manibus attingi, sed ne cogitatione…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/things-sacred-should-not-only-be-touched-with-the-hands-but/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Grief is not in the nature of things, but in opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/grief-is-not-in-the-nature-of-things-but-in-opinion/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Physicians, when the cause of disease is discovered, consider that the cure is discovered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/physicians-when-the-cause-of-disease-is-discovered-consider-that-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum. (Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nihil-est-incertius-vulgo-nihil-obscurius-voluntate-hominum-nihil/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The foundations of justice are that on one shall suffer wrong; then, that the public good be promoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-foundations-of-justice-are-that-on-one-shall-suffer-wrong-then/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“The life of the dead is set in the memory of the living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-life-of-the-dead-is-set-in-the-memory-of-the-living/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Pardon is granted to necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/pardon-is-granted-to-necessity/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Friendship embraces innumerable ends; turn where you will it is ever at your side; no barrier shuts it out; it is never untimely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/friendship-embraces-innumerable-ends-turn-where-you-will-it-is-ever/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [History is the witness of the times, the light of truth, the life of memory, the teacher of life, the messenger of antiquity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/history-is-the-witness-of-the-times-the-light-of-truth-the-life-of/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The Jews belong to a dark and repulsive force. One knows how numerous this clique is, how they stick together and what power they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-jews-belong-to-a-dark-and-repulsive-force-one-knows-how-numerous/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Nature has planted in our minds an insatiable longing to see the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nature-has-planted-in-our-minds-an-insatiable-longing-to-see-the-truth/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) [Explore all 1,068 Marcus Tullius Cicero quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## More Example quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I think leading by example is important, as I know the next generation is watching us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-skolnik/i-think-leading-by-example-is-important-as-i-know-the-next-generation/) [Michael Skolnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-skolnik/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Men trust rather to their eyes than to their ears; the effect of precepts is therefore slow and tedious, whilst that of examples is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-trust-rather-to-their-eyes-than-to-their-ears-the-effect-of/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Popular culture as a whole is popular, but in today's fragmented market it's a jostle of competing unpopular popular cultures. As the critic Stanley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/popular-culture-as-a-whole-is-popular-but-in-today-s-fragmented/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [You can have examples of reasons to hate people, but if you analyze those reasons it's like, Oh, I'm hating that person based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlyne-yi/you-can-have-examples-of-reasons-to-hate-people-but-if-you-analyze/) [Charlyne Yi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlyne-yi/) > [The protestant world is in great need of examples (like these) that will beckon us to the fullness of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-bickle/the-protestant-world-is-in-great-need-of-examples-like-these-that/) [Mike Bickle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-bickle/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I'm not the most vocal guy, but I try to lead by example every single day with how I work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-ingram/i-m-not-the-most-vocal-guy-but-i-try-to-lead-by-example-every-single/) [Brandon Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-ingram/) > [But actually theory is very practical. Gravity is a theory, for example. It allows you to predict that if you step off a cliff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/but-actually-theory-is-very-practical-gravity-is-a-theory-for-example/) [Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/) > [I had the best example set by my parents for what a couple can - and, in my opinion, should - be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-had-the-best-example-set-by-my-parents-for-what-a-couple-can-and-in/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [America's freedom is the example to which the world expires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/america-s-freedom-is-the-example-to-which-the-world-expires/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) Browse all 5,618 Example quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Men think they may justly do that for which they have a precedent.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marcus Tullius Cicero" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/men-think-they-may-justly-do-that-for-which-they-have-a-precedent/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Example" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/men-think-they-may-justly-do-that-for-which-they-have-a-precedent/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d7/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_example_men-think-they-may-justly-do-that-for-wh_1683822.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d7/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_example_men-think-they-may-justly-do-that-for-wh_1683822.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d7/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_example_men-think-they-may-justly-do-that-for-wh_1683822.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Men think they may justly do that for which they have a precedent.” — Marcus Tullius Cicero", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Marcus Tullius Cicero", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Men think they may justly do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/men-think-they-may-justly-do-that-for-which-they-have-a-precedent/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/men-think-they-may-justly-do-that-for-which-they-have-a-precedent/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```