--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ethics seems a morass which we have to…" description: "\"Ethics seems a morass which we have to cross, but get hopelessly bogged in when we make the attempt.\" — Peter Singer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/peter-singer-1001_crosses_ethics-seems-a-morass-which-we-have-to-c_1010637.jpg" --- # Ethics seems a morass which we have to cross, but get… ![“Ethics seems a morass which we have to cross, but get hopelessly bogged in when we make the attempt.” quote by Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/peter-singer-1001_crosses_ethics-seems-a-morass-which-we-have-to-c_1010637.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/peter-singer-1001_crosses_ethics-seems-a-morass-which-we-have-to-c_1010637.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/peter-singer-1001_crosses_ethics-seems-a-morass-which-we-have-to-c_1010637.jpg) > “Ethics seems a morass which we have to cross, but get hopelessly bogged in when we make the attempt.” [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ethics is a complex field that can trap us when we attempt to navigate it. **In simple terms:** Ethical thinking can become tangled and overwhelming. Key Takeaway Approach ethics step by step. Themes ethics complexity human behavior Mood analytical serious Type philosophical academic When to use this quote - policy analysis - daily moral choices - educational curricula Key Concepts moral philosophy decision making Questions to Reflect On - What simple ethical principle guides you? - How can you avoid getting stuck in ethical dilemmas? A Different Perspective Risk of paralysis by analysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attempt/) [Cross Hopelessly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cross-hopelessly-2191008/) [Crosses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crosses/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Ethics Morass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics-morass-2191007/) [Hopelessly Bogged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopelessly-bogged-2191006/) [Make Attempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-attempt-265837/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) ## Related quotes > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [“Make the attempt if you want to, but you will find that trying to go through life without friendship, is like milking a bear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/make-the-attempt-if-you-want-to-but-you-will-find-that-trying-to-go/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [“Make an attempt, when you are unsure. Rethink! when you are too sure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prranav/make-an-attempt-when-you-are-unsure-rethink-when-you-are-too-sure/) [Prranav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prranav/) > [I think everyone at some point comes up against a wall. Curiously, though, if you continue working, you might readdress that idea from another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-sonnier/i-think-everyone-at-some-point-comes-up-against-a-wall-curiously/) [Keith Sonnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-sonnier/) > [I try to stay as private as possible; I know that's difficult, especially playing here in New York, but I make an attempt at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-jeter/i-try-to-stay-as-private-as-possible-i-know-that-s-difficult/) [Derek Jeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-jeter/) > [“Coming out of your comfort zone is tough in the beginning, chaotic in the middle, and awesome in the end...because in the end, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manoj-arora/coming-out-of-your-comfort-zone-is-tough-in-the-beginning-chaotic-in/) [Manoj Arora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manoj-arora/) > [It is no sin to attempt and fail. The only sin is not to make the attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suellen-fried/it-is-no-sin-to-attempt-and-fail-the-only-sin-is-not-to-make-the/) [SuEllen Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suellen-fried/) > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you-2/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [It is sometimes a mistake to climb. It is always a mistake to never make the attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/it-is-sometimes-a-mistake-to-climb-it-is-always-a-mistake-to-never/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [It is sometimes a mistake to climb. It is always a mistake never even to make the attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-sometimes-a-mistake-to-climb-it-is-always-a-mistake-never-even/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Bless Your Mistakes. If you fail a thousand times, make the attempt once more](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivkekananda/bless-your-mistakes-if-you-fail-a-thousand-times-make-the-attempt/) [Vivkekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivkekananda/) > [If a woman wants to be a real one, she shouldn't be afraid of changes and mistakes. It's never too late to make another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-woman-wants-to-be-a-real-one-she-shouldn-t-be-afraid-of-changes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you don't even try, the answer is no. If you do make an attempt, the answer is at least a maybe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-anthony-de-marco/if-you-don-t-even-try-the-answer-is-no-if-you-do-make-an-attempt-the/) [Guy Anthony De Marco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-anthony-de-marco/) > [If you encounter set back, never go backward. Make another attempt with all your might. Determination is the most powerful arsenal to convert a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/if-you-encounter-set-back-never-go-backward-make-another-attempt-with/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [Success doesn't come if you dont make an attempt. Even failure comes after making an attempt. Give it a try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/biman-gandhi/success-doesn-t-come-if-you-dont-make-an-attempt-even-failure-comes/) [Biman Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/biman-gandhi/) ## More by Peter Singer > [I have never really been fond of animals. I certainly wasn't an 'animal lover' when I became involved in the movement. I just came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/i-have-never-really-been-fond-of-animals-i-certainly-wasn-t-an-animal/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Knowledge is generally considered a good thing; so, presumably, knowing more about how the U.S. thinks and operates around the world is also good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/knowledge-is-generally-considered-a-good-thing-so-presumably-knowing/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [The price we are willing to pay for safety cannot be infinite. It is distasteful to put a price on human life, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/the-price-we-are-willing-to-pay-for-safety-cannot-be-infinite-it-is/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [The hope of Internet anarchists was that repressive governments would have only two options: accept the Internet with its limitless possibilities of spreading information,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/the-hope-of-internet-anarchists-was-that-repressive-governments-would/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [ Nineteen thousand children \[are\] dying every day. Does it really matter that we're not walking past them in the street? Does it really matter… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/nineteen-thousand-children-are-dying-every-day-does-it-really-matter/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [“The unchallenged assumption is that humans may use animals for their own purposes, and they may raise and kill them to satisfy their preference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/the-unchallenged-assumption-is-that-humans-may-use-animals-for-their/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Beginning to reason is like stepping onto an escalator that leads upward and out of sight. Once we take the first step, the distance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/beginning-to-reason-is-like-stepping-onto-an-escalator-that-leads/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [“Population growth is not a reason against giving aid but a reason for reconsidering the kind of aid to give.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/population-growth-is-not-a-reason-against-giving-aid-but-a-reason-for/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Well the real concept of basic needs if you cut it right down are simply the physical needs that are unavoidable for all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/well-the-real-concept-of-basic-needs-if-you-cut-it-right-down-are/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [“Dairy farmers routinely remove calves from their mothers at an early age so that the milk will be available for humans; anyone who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/dairy-farmers-routinely-remove-calves-from-their-mothers-at-an-early/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Attempts to defend amusement parks and circuses on the grounds that they 'educate' people about animals should not be taken seriously. Such enterprises are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/attempts-to-defend-amusement-parks-and-circuses-on-the-grounds-that/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [“A consequence of this alienation of humans from their own nature is that they are also alienated from each other. Productive activity becomes ‘activity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/a-consequence-of-this-alienation-of-humans-from-their-own-nature-is/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [“I argued against the view that the only obligation we have to strangers is to avoid harming them; but even if we were to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/i-argued-against-the-view-that-the-only-obligation-we-have-to/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [I believe that in this new world that we live in, we often have a responsibility, you know, to actually go beyond the thou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/i-believe-that-in-this-new-world-that-we-live-in-we-often-have-a/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [It may be thought justifiable to require tests on animals of potentially life-saving drugs, but the same kinds of tests are used for products…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/it-may-be-thought-justifiable-to-require-tests-on-animals-of/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) [Explore all 310 Peter Singer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) ## More Attempt quotes > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [I'm not technically proficient enough to attempt all kinds of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/i-m-not-technically-proficient-enough-to-attempt-all-kinds-of-music/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [Realizing that they can't get their agenda across: against religious liberty, against a culture of life, they can't get those issues across through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-parsley/realizing-that-they-can-t-get-their-agenda-across-against-religious/) [Rod Parsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-parsley/) > [It is sometimes a mistake to climb. It is always a mistake never even to make the attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-sometimes-a-mistake-to-climb-it-is-always-a-mistake-never-even/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I will never attempt to even begin to make excuses for what I did in football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-storey/i-will-never-attempt-to-even-begin-to-make-excuses-for-what-i-did-in/) [Peter Storey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-storey/) > [“We all perish in our last attempt to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/we-all-perish-in-our-last-attempt-to-live/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [There was an attempt on my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovenel-moise/there-was-an-attempt-on-my-life/) [Jovenel Moise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovenel-moise/) > [The publishing of a book is a worldwide event. The attempt to suppress a book is a worldwide event.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-publishing-of-a-book-is-a-worldwide-event-the-attempt-to-suppress/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Advocacy groups in the USA, as in other countries, may not be able to silence this hateful, cowardly and deceitful attack upon people’s humanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/advocacy-groups-in-the-usa-as-in-other-countries-may-not-be-able-to/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [There are many things that seem impossible only so long as one does not attempt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/there-are-many-things-that-seem-impossible-only-so-long-as-one-does/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [For purposes of marketing, writers are designated as poets, novelists, or something else. But writing is about matchmaking, an attempt to marry sensations with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/for-purposes-of-marketing-writers-are-designated-as-poets-novelists/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [It's my first sort of commercial attempt, but it made sense for me because I'm not that kind of guy and I'm not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/it-s-my-first-sort-of-commercial-attempt-but-it-made-sense-for-me/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [In all civilizations we've studied, all cultures that we know of across the Earth and across time have invested some kind of attempt to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-all-civilizations-we-ve-studied-all-cultures-that-we-know-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [It is sometimes a mistake to climb. It is always a mistake to never make the attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/it-is-sometimes-a-mistake-to-climb-it-is-always-a-mistake-to-never/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [My explanation remains the same: It was an attempt to make the point that anyone who opposed the war can achieve their objective by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-p-moran/my-explanation-remains-the-same-it-was-an-attempt-to-make-the-point/) [James P. Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-p-moran/) [Browse all 516 Attempt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attempt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ethics seems a morass which we have to cross, but get hopelessly bogged in when we make the attempt.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Singer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/ethics-seems-a-morass-which-we-have-to-cross-but-get-hopelessly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attempt" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/ethics-seems-a-morass-which-we-have-to-cross-but-get-hopelessly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/peter-singer-1001_crosses_ethics-seems-a-morass-which-we-have-to-c_1010637.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/peter-singer-1001_crosses_ethics-seems-a-morass-which-we-have-to-c_1010637.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/peter-singer-1001_crosses_ethics-seems-a-morass-which-we-have-to-c_1010637.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ethics seems a morass which we have to cross, but get hopelessly bogged in when we make the attempt.” — Peter Singer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Peter Singer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Ethics seems a morass which we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/ethics-seems-a-morass-which-we-have-to-cross-but-get-hopelessly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/ethics-seems-a-morass-which-we-have-to-cross-but-get-hopelessly/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```