--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some emotions are essential to law and to…" description: "\"Some emotions are essential to law and to public principles of justice: anger at wrongdoing, fear for our safety, compassion for the pain of others, al..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/martha-nussbaum-4759_anger_some-emotions-are-essential-to-law-and-t_2108809.jpg" --- # Some emotions are essential to law and to public… ![“Some emotions are essential to law and to public principles of justice: anger at wrongdoing, fear for our safety, compassion for the pain of others, all these are good reasons to make laws that protect people in their rights.” quote by Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/martha-nussbaum-4759_anger_some-emotions-are-essential-to-law-and-t_2108809.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/martha-nussbaum-4759_anger_some-emotions-are-essential-to-law-and-t_2108809.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c3/martha-nussbaum-4759_anger_some-emotions-are-essential-to-law-and-t_2108809.jpg) > “Some emotions are essential to law and to public principles of justice: anger at wrongdoing, fear for our safety, compassion for the pain of others, all these are good reasons to make laws that protect people in their rights.” [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emotions like anger, fear, and compassion justify laws protecting rights and safety. **In simple terms:** Emotions support lawmaking for justice. Key Takeaway Consider emotions in legal reasoning. Themes ethics law justice emotion Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - legislative drafting - human rights advocacy - public policy Key Concepts moral philosophy human rights Questions to Reflect On - Which emotions should guide lawmaking? - How to balance emotion and reason? A Different Perspective Emotions can bias decisions if unchecked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Emotions Essential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions-essential-3307038/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Justice Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice-anger-4247613/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-public-1312534/) [Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws/) [Laws Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-protect-334809/) [Principles Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles-justice-2175637/) ## Related quotes > [“respond rather than react to situations, people or environment. 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Shotwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-shotwell/) > [“it was not until 1937 that Justice Curdozo of the US Supreme Court formulated for the first time the concept of fundamental rights as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justice-asok-kumar-ganguly/it-was-not-until-1937-that-justice-curdozo-of-the-us-supreme-court/) [Justice Asok Kumar Ganguly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justice-asok-kumar-ganguly/) > [...it is not only the general principles of justice that are infringed, or at least set aside, by the exclusion of women, merely as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/it-is-not-only-the-general-principles-of-justice-that-are-infringed/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) ## More by Martha Nussbaum > [I worked among many famous philosophers, and I tried to observe how they treated students. I knew which ones I wanted to be like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/i-worked-among-many-famous-philosophers-and-i-tried-to-observe-how/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [All of us, whether we are ignorant of philosophy or professors of philosophy, find it easier to follow dogma than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/all-of-us-whether-we-are-ignorant-of-philosophy-or-professors-of/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [I think Americans did learn that you just are not going to be able to live well if you subordinate people on the grounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/i-think-americans-did-learn-that-you-just-are-not-going-to-be-able-to/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [I wish a person with a record of competence such as Nitish Kumar would get a chance to lead India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/i-wish-a-person-with-a-record-of-competence-such-as-nitish-kumar/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [I wouldn't express anything without being very thoughtful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-nussbaum/i-wouldn-t-express-anything-without-being-very-thoughtful/) [Martha Nussbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-nussbaum/) > [When I was four I joined a group of girls who were talking about their party dresses. 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It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. 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