--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The irrationality of disgust suggests it…" description: "\"The irrationality of disgust suggests it is unreliable as a source of moral insight. There may be good arguments against gay marriage, partial-birth ab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49f/paul-bloom-3720_abortion_the-irrationality-of-disgust-suggests-it_2882898.jpg" --- # The irrationality of disgust suggests it is unreliable as… ![“The irrationality of disgust suggests it is unreliable as a source of moral insight. There may be good arguments against gay marriage, partial-birth abortions and human cloning, but the fact that some people find such acts to be disgusting should carry no weight.” quote by Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49f/paul-bloom-3720_abortion_the-irrationality-of-disgust-suggests-it_2882898.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49f/paul-bloom-3720_abortion_the-irrationality-of-disgust-suggests-it_2882898.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49f/paul-bloom-3720_abortion_the-irrationality-of-disgust-suggests-it_2882898.jpg) > “The irrationality of disgust suggests it is unreliable as a source of moral insight. There may be good arguments against gay marriage, partial-birth abortions and human cloning, but the fact that some people find such acts to be disgusting should carry no weight.” [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Disgust is an unreliable moral compass; emotional reactions shouldn’t dictate ethical judgments on issues like gay marriage or cloning. **In simple terms:** Disgust isn’t a solid basis for morality. Key Takeaway Base ethics on reason, not gut feelings. Themes ethics emotion morality Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - bioethics debates - legal policy - public discourse Key Concepts moral psychology rationalism Questions to Reflect On - Should emotions ever inform moral law? - How can societies balance intuition and reason? A Different Perspective Some argue disgust signals deep‑seated values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abortion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) [Abortions Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortions-human-4005717/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Arguments Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguments-gay-3914713/) [Cloning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cloning/) [Disgust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disgust/) [Disgust Suggests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disgust-suggests-4005716/) [Disgusting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disgusting/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Gay marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-marriage/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Human cloning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-cloning/) [Insight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insight/) [Irrationality Disgust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrationality-disgust-4005715/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source/) [Unreliable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unreliable/) [Weight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weight/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [The bill would ban human cloning, and any attempts at human cloning, for both reproductive purposes and medical research. Also forbidden is the importing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-calvert/the-bill-would-ban-human-cloning-and-any-attempts-at-human-cloning/) [Ken Calvert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-calvert/) > [I would not want to see any relaxation of the law prohibiting human cloning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-would-not-want-to-see-any-relaxation-of-the-law-prohibiting-human/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [While that amendment failed, human cloning continues to advance and the breakthrough in this unethical and morally questionable science is around the corner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/while-that-amendment-failed-human-cloning-continues-to-advance-and/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [“A brick could be used as another brick, as they all look the same. So yes, I am for human cloning as a means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-brick-could-be-used-as-another-brick-as-they-all-look-the-same-so/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [The pressures for human cloning are powerful; but, although it seems likely that somebody, at some time, will attempt it, we need not assume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-wilmut/the-pressures-for-human-cloning-are-powerful-but-although-it-seems/) [Ian Wilmut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-wilmut/) > [Maybe we will get to this point and reach a decision one way or the other with 'Human cloning is acceptable,' but I doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/maybe-we-will-get-to-this-point-and-reach-a-decision-one-way-or-the/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [Human cloning is coming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/human-cloning-is-coming/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Our lives depend on recognizing that human cloning, like all forms of 'playing God,' is a moral, life-promoting endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-epstein/our-lives-depend-on-recognizing-that-human-cloning-like-all-forms-of/) [Alex Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-epstein/) > [When President Clinton starts talking about what is moral, as he did when recommending a national law banning human cloning, it's time for us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/when-president-clinton-starts-talking-about-what-is-moral-as-he-did/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [Abortion, euthanasia, human cloning, for example, risk reducing the human person to a mere object: life and death to order, as it were!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/abortion-euthanasia-human-cloning-for-example-risk-reducing-the-human/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [Banning human cloning reflects our humanity. It is the right thing to do. Creating a child through this new method calls into question our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/banning-human-cloning-reflects-our-humanity-it-is-the-right-thing-to/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [I've been opposed to human cloning from the very beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/i-ve-been-opposed-to-human-cloning-from-the-very-beginning/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [Many other countries have already banned human cloning, and there are efforts at the UN to make such a ban universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/many-other-countries-have-already-banned-human-cloning-and-there-are/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [In early January I introduced my legislation, which, besides prohibiting Federal funding of human cloning, also expresses the sense of Congress that foreign nations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-stearns/in-early-january-i-introduced-my-legislation-which-besides/) [Cliff Stearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-stearns/) > [“Human Cloning: The Least Interesting Application of Cloning Technology One of the most powerful methods of applying life’s machinery involves harnessing biology’s own reproductive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/human-cloning-the-least-interesting-application-of-cloning-technology/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) ## More by Paul Bloom > [I have two teenage sons, and they're both surviving, thriving, and having a great time, and they're always on social media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/i-have-two-teenage-sons-and-they-re-both-surviving-thriving-and/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [Families survive the terrible twos because toddlers aren't strong enough to kill with their hands and aren't capable of using lethal weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/families-survive-the-terrible-twos-because-toddlers-aren-t-strong/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [If Inigo Montoya were around now, he wouldn't need to storm the castle to bring his father's murderer to justice; the police would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/if-inigo-montoya-were-around-now-he-wouldn-t-need-to-storm-the-castle/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [Most of us know nothing about constitutional law, so it's hardly surprising that we take sides in the Obamacare debate the way we root…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/most-of-us-know-nothing-about-constitutional-law-so-it-s-hardly/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [“Being a good person likely is more related to distanced feelings of compassion and kindness, along with intelligence, self-control, and a sense of justice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/being-a-good-person-likely-is-more-related-to-distanced-feelings-of/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [Imagination is Reality Lite - a useful substitute when the real pleasure is inaccessible, too risky, or too much work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/imagination-is-reality-lite-a-useful-substitute-when-the-real/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [One way to make a baby cry is to expose it to cries of other babies. There's sort of contagiousness to the crying. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/one-way-to-make-a-baby-cry-is-to-expose-it-to-cries-of-other-babies/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [I want to convince you that humans are, to some extent, natural born essentialists. What I mean by this is we don't just respond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/i-want-to-convince-you-that-humans-are-to-some-extent-natural-born/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [The fact that something can be used for good isn't necessarily a knockdown argument for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/the-fact-that-something-can-be-used-for-good-isn-t-necessarily-a/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [ Our best hope for the future \[...\] lies in an appreciation of the fact that, even if we don’t empathize with distant strangers, their… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/our-best-hope-for-the-future-lies-in-an-appreciation-of-the-fact-that/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [When people want to inspire you to turn against some group of people, they'll often use empathy. When Obama wanted to bomb Syria, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/when-people-want-to-inspire-you-to-turn-against-some-group-of-people/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [I'm very interested in why we do good things, or bad things, and where moral judgments come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/i-m-very-interested-in-why-we-do-good-things-or-bad-things-and-where/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [I have my own difficulty with movies in which the suffering of the characters is too real, and many find it difficult to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/i-have-my-own-difficulty-with-movies-in-which-the-suffering-of-the/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [I think what a lot of fiction is, is the imagining of the worst so as to prepare ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/i-think-what-a-lot-of-fiction-is-is-the-imagining-of-the-worst-so-as/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [Morality is often seen as an innovation, like agriculture and writing. From this perspective, babies are pint-sized psychopaths, self-interested beings who need to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/morality-is-often-seen-as-an-innovation-like-agriculture-and-writing/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) [Explore all 123 Paul Bloom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) ## More Abortion quotes > [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/) [Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/) > [Hey everyone, in case y'all didn't hear, I'm pregnat, and after discussing it w/ my family, I've decided to get an abortion, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-badesheim/hey-everyone-in-case-y-all-didn-t-hear-i-m-pregnat-and-after/) [Madison Badesheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-badesheim/) > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [My favorite Founding Fathers, Christians like John Adams, were absolutely appalled by slavery, and did not own slaves. I think we're going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/my-favorite-founding-fathers-christians-like-john-adams-were/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [“David Bereit, Founder of Forty Days for Life, points out that any abortion clinic in America should have a sign in its window that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-price/david-bereit-founder-of-forty-days-for-life-points-out-that-any/) [John Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-price/) > [The Chinese describe themselves as political refugees. Many base that claim on China's strict population laws, which allow them to have only one child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-chinese-describe-themselves-as-political-refugees-many-base-that/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [I'm a pro-life candidate because I believe that science is proving us right every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-m-a-pro-life-candidate-because-i-believe-that-science-is-proving-us/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion…has been born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-noticed-that-everyone-who-is-for-abortion-has-been-born/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [We talk a lot about how abortion is a medical procedure, but actually if you look at what the other side is doing, they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-northup/we-talk-a-lot-about-how-abortion-is-a-medical-procedure-but-actually/) [Nancy Northup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-northup/) > [“The Vatican won't prosecute pedophile priests but I decide I'm not ready for motherhood and it's condemnation for me? 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Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-w-lynn/) [Browse all 1,629 Abortion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abortion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The irrationality of disgust suggests it is unreliable as a source of moral insight. 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