Being equal Quote by Nomy Arpaly
“Other things being equal, ill will is worse than moral indifference (as in causing suffering for money vs causing suffering to cause suffering), though things are rarely equal.”
About This Quote
Ill will, the intent to cause harm, is morally more blameworthy than passive indifference, even when both result in suffering.
In simple terms: Intentional harm outranks passive neglect.
Key Takeaway
Intent matters more than outcome alone.
Themes
moral philosophy
intentionality
ethical responsibility
consequentialism
human nature
Mood
thoughtful
critical
serious
Type
aphorism
ethical observation
When to use this quote
- judging corporate profit from at the
- assessing personal revenge
- evaluating policy decisions that cause suffering
- reflecting on personal grudges
Key Concepts
moral agency
harm
motivation
ethical evaluation
Practical Applications
- ethical counseling
- risk assessment
Questions to Reflect On
- When does indifference become culpable?
- Can intent be measured objectively?
A Different Perspective
Some argue that outcomes, not intentions, should be the primary moral focus, especially when indifference leads to large-scale harm.
![“[Dostoyevsky] eloquently proves that heartless ideas are often a source of immorality: they bring with them destructiveness, hatred, cynicism, and misanthropy. The novelist also carefully examines moral indifference and corruption which leads him to the questions: “What if reason takes the side of…” quote by George L. Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c87/george-l-kline-239544_dostoevsky_dostoyevsky-eloquently-proves-that-heart_53378.jpg)
![“Do not Bodies act upon Light at a distance, and by their action bend its Rays; and is not this action (caeteris paribus) [all else being equal] strongest at the least distance?” quote by Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f9c/isaac-newton-1226_action_do-not-bodies-act-upon-light-at-a-distan_90238.jpg)
![“[T]here is a methodological bias in favor of taking natural discourse literally, other things being equal. For example, unless there are clear reasons for construing discourse as ambiguous, elliptical, or involving special idioms, we should not so construe it.” quote by Tyler Burge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2be/tyler-burge-109585_ambiguous_t-here-is-a-methodological-bias-in-favor_377917.jpg)
