Obligations Quote by Mark Gibney
![“[...]what we are talking about are negative obligations--the duty not to cause harm.” quote by Mark Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c56/mark-gibney-68376_quote_what-we-are-talking-about-are-negative-o_1902177.jpg)
““[...]what we are talking about are negative obligations--the duty not to cause harm.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on Ethics, 2020
It asserts that moral duty includes refraining from causing harm, not just performing positive acts.
In simple terms: Do not cause harm.
Key Takeaway
Avoid actions that hurt others.
Themes
ethics
responsibility
non‑maleficence
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- business decisions
- medical treatment
- environmental policy
- personal relationships
Key Concepts
moral philosophy
duty theory
Questions to Reflect On
- When might causing no harm be impossible?
- How do you balance non‑harm with other duties?
A Different Perspective
Harmlessness may conflict with competing interests or required interventions.
![“Snowden has enough [sic] information to cause harm to the U.S. government in a single minute than any other person has ever had. The U.S. government should be on its knees every day begging that nothing happen to Snowden, because if something does happen to him, all the information will be…” quote by Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/167/glenn-greenwald-1215_begging_snowden-has-enough-sic-information-to-ca_2136813.jpg)
![“[...]if Nazi Germany had not invaded other countries but had simply sought to eliminate the entire Jewish population within its own territorial borders, this would not have constituted a violation of international law, as incredible as this now seems.” quote by Mark Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/644/mark-gibney-68376_international-law_if-nazi-germany-had-not-invaded-other-co_935384.jpg)
