--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the moral worth of an action consists not…" description: "\"“the moral worth of an action consists not in the consequences that flow from it, but in the intention from which the act is done. What matters is the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/030/michael-j-sandel-32311_character_the-moral-worth-of-an-action-consists-no_1033071.jpg" --- # the moral worth of an action consists not in the… ![“the moral worth of an action consists not in the consequences that flow from it, but in the intention from which the act is done. What matters is the motive, and the motive must be of a certain kind. What matters is doing the right thing because it’s right, not for some ulterior motive.” quote by Michael J. Sandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/030/michael-j-sandel-32311_character_the-moral-worth-of-an-action-consists-no_1033071.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/030/michael-j-sandel-32311_character_the-moral-worth-of-an-action-consists-no_1033071.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/030/michael-j-sandel-32311_character_the-moral-worth-of-an-action-consists-no_1033071.jpg) > ““the moral worth of an action consists not in the consequences that flow from it, but in the intention from which the act is done. What matters is the motive, and the motive must be of a certain kind. What matters is doing the right thing because it’s right, not for some ulterior motive.”” [Michael J. Sandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-sandel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral value lies in the intention behind actions, not merely their outcomes; acting rightly for its own sake is essential. **In simple terms:** Good actions depend on pure motives. Key Takeaway Act from sincere intention. Themes ethics intention morality motivation principles Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - policy making - personal decisions - leadership - education Key Concepts deontology virtue ethics philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What motives drive your daily choices? - Can outcomes ever justify questionable intentions? A Different Perspective Pure intentions can be hard to verify. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Doing the right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-the-right-thing/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) [Ulterior motive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ulterior-motive/) ## Related quotes > [Like everything else, love's not worth much without some action to back it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/like-everything-else-love-s-not-worth-much-without-some-action-to/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [Personal success or personal satisfaction are not worth another thought if one does achieve them, or worth worrying about if they evade one or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/personal-success-or-personal-satisfaction-are-not-worth-another/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [An action, to have moral worth, must be done from duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/an-action-to-have-moral-worth-must-be-done-from-duty/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [The measure of the moral worth of a man is his happiness. 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