Character Quote by Marquis de Sade
““Now we come to the crux of my philosophy: if the taking of pleasure is enhanced by the criminal character of the circumstances -- if, indeed, the pleasure taken is directly proportionate to the severity of the crime involved --, then is it not criminality itself which is pleasurable, and the seemingly pleasure-producing act nothing more than the instrument of its realization?””
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Philosophy of Crime, 1795
Pleasure is linked to the severity of wrongdoing, suggesting criminality itself can be enjoyable.
In simple terms: Crime can feel pleasurable when it is severe.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the moral danger of glorifying harmful acts.
Themes
ethics
pleasure
crime
philosophy
Mood
provocative
dark
Type
philosophical
controversial
When to use this quote
- literary analysis
- psychological self‑examination
Key Concepts
moral relativism
psychology of enjoyment
Questions to Reflect On
- Is pleasure always a sign of good?
- Can harmful acts ever be justified?
A Different Perspective
debate on moral limits of desire
![“The law which attempts a man's life [capital punishment] is impractical, unjust, inadmissible. It has never repressed crime--for a second crime is every day committed at the foot of the scaffold.” quote by Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b85/marquis-de-sade-1964_capital-punishment_the-law-which-attempts-a-man-s-life-capi_99486.jpg)
