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Ethics Quote by Michael Surge

“Ethics is [...] the philosophic branch of inquiry which talks about right and wrong, which talks about our moral obligations, which inquires into our certainty of what we ought and ought not to do. Ethics asks, "What is it to be a human being, and to engage in actions that are appropriate to a…” quote by Michael Surge
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““Ethics is [...] the philosophic branch of inquiry which talks about right and wrong, which talks about our moral obligations, which inquires into our certainty of what we ought and ought not to do. Ethics asks, "What is it to be a human being, and to engage in actions that are appropriate to a human being? [...] investigates the part of human beings that are not animals, that are not specifically, completely, part of nature.It investigates the element in human beings which make choices, which are free, which, in the ancient intellectual tradition, "have souls.””

Michael Surge

About This Quote

Ethics is the philosophical study of right and wrong, moral obligations, and what we ought to do. It examines choice and freedom in human action, the non-animal part of us, which tradition calls the soul.

In simple terms: Ethics explores human duty and free choice.

Key Takeaway

See ethics as the study of free human action and duty.

Themes

ethics morality moral obligation human nature free will philosophy

Mood

contemplative philosophical

Type

philosophical educational

When to use this quote

  • studying philosophy
  • resolving moral dilemmas
  • reflecting on ethical choices
  • discussing human responsibility

Key Concepts

soul moral philosophy human agency free will

Questions to Reflect On

  • What makes an action morally right or wrong?
  • How does free will connect to obligation?
A Different Perspective

The text is fragmentary and may understate the role of emotion and social context in ethics.

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