---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Goodness is both an ethical and an…"
description: "\"“Goodness is both an ethical and an esthetic standard.”\" — Philip Graham Ryken"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/philip-graham-ryken-36263_art_goodness-is-both-an-ethical-and-an-esthe_412284.png"
---

#  Goodness is both an ethical and an esthetic standard.

![“Goodness is both an ethical and an esthetic standard.” quote by Philip Graham Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/philip-graham-ryken-36263_art_goodness-is-both-an-ethical-and-an-esthe_412284.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/philip-graham-ryken-36263_art_goodness-is-both-an-ethical-and-an-esthe_412284.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/philip-graham-ryken-36263_art_goodness-is-both-an-ethical-and-an-esthe_412284.png)

> ““Goodness is both an ethical and an esthetic standard.””

[Philip Graham Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Moral and aesthetic judgments are linked; beauty reflects virtue and vice reflects flaw.

**In simple terms:** Ethics and beauty are connected.

Key Takeaway

Seek beauty in moral choices.

Themes

ethics beauty standards

Mood

contemplative inquisitive

Type

philosophical reflective

When to use this quote

- art criticism
- personal conduct
- education
- design

Key Concepts

aesthetic theory moral philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- How does beauty influence your sense of right?
- Can something be beautiful yet immoral?

A Different Perspective

Aesthetic standards can be subjective, weakening universal moral claims.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/)

## Related quotes

> [Art is the human disposition of sensible or intelligible matter for an esthetic end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/art-is-the-human-disposition-of-sensible-or-intelligible-matter-for/)

[Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/)

> [“If you want to be successful in your career, strive to be a well-versed professional with high esthetic standards and a passion for excellence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/if-you-want-to-be-successful-in-your-career-strive-to-be-a-well/)

[Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/)

> [Oh, yes, I was a great retoucher. A retoucher is an esthetic surgeon !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/man-ray/oh-yes-i-was-a-great-retoucher-a-retoucher-is-an-esthetic-surgeon/)

[Man Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/man-ray/)

> [Music, feelings of happiness, mythology, faces worn by time, certain twilights and certain places, want to tell us something, or they told us something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/music-feelings-of-happiness-mythology-faces-worn-by-time-certain-2/)

[Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/)

> [I don't think esthetic schools are important. What is important is the use that is made of them, or whatever the individual writer does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-don-t-think-esthetic-schools-are-important-what-is-important-is-the/)

[Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/)

> [“The esthetic image in the dramatic form is life purified in and reprojected from the human imagination. The mystery of esthetic, like that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/the-esthetic-image-in-the-dramatic-form-is-life-purified-in-and/)

[James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/)

> [I think there is a period of esthetic discovery that happens to a man and he can do all sorts of things at white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-evans/i-think-there-is-a-period-of-esthetic-discovery-that-happens-to-a-man/)

[Walker Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-evans/)

> [The case for democracy is not esthetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-case-for-democracy-is-not-esthetic/)

[George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/)

> [They are the gateway for our modern esthetic development, the prophets of the new time. They are most of all, the primitives of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/they-are-the-gateway-for-our-modern-esthetic-development-the-prophets/)

[Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/)

> [Morality is not just any old topic in psychology but close to our conception of the meaning of life. Moral goodness is what gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/morality-is-not-just-any-old-topic-in-psychology-but-close-to-our/)

[Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/)

> [One may not doubt that, somehow Good Shall come of Water and of Mud; And sure, the reverent eye must see A purpose in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-brooke/one-may-not-doubt-that-somehow-good-shall-come-of-water-and-of-mud/)

[Rupert Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-brooke/)

> [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/)

[Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/)

> [Love reacts with goodness towards those who ill-treat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/love-reacts-with-goodness-towards-those-who-ill-treat-it/)

[Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/)

> [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/)

Daniel K Judd

> [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/)

[Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/)

## More by Philip Graham Ryken

> [It is when we create things for God's sake that our work most clearly promotes His glory, rather than threatening to compete with it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/it-is-when-we-create-things-for-god-s-sake-that-our-work-most-clearly/)

[Philip Graham Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/)

> [“Dietrich Bonhoeffer wisely wrote, “If my sinfulness appears to me to be in any way smaller or less detestable in comparison with the sins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/dietrich-bonhoeffer-wisely-wrote-if-my-sinfulness-appears-to-me-to-be/)

[Philip Graham Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/)

> [The fruit of the Spirit is the natural produce of his gracious inward influence, the spontaneous and inevitable result of his uniting us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/the-fruit-of-the-spirit-is-the-natural-produce-of-his-gracious-inward/)

[Philip Graham Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/)

> [To be pleasing to God, art must be true as well as good. Truth has always been one important criterion for art. Art is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/to-be-pleasing-to-god-art-must-be-true-as-well-as-good-truth-has/)

[Philip Graham Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/)

> [The content of worship comes from the Bible, the goal of worship is to give praise to God, and the basis for worship is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/the-content-of-worship-comes-from-the-bible-the-goal-of-worship-is-to/)

[Philip Graham Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/)

> [To identify your own idols, ask questions like these: What things take the place of God in my life? Where do I find my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/to-identify-your-own-idols-ask-questions-like-these-what-things-take/)

[Philip Graham Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/)

> [“God has put his love into our lives by pouring his Spirit into our hearts. So when we desire to love Jesus more, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/god-has-put-his-love-into-our-lives-by-pouring-his-spirit-into-our/)

[Philip Graham Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/)

> [“The Christian worldview is liturgical as well as cerebral; it culminates with an everlasting crescendo of praise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/the-christian-worldview-is-liturgical-as-well-as-cerebral-it/)

[Philip Graham Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/)

> [“Generally speaking, the reason the church fails to have a more positive, transforming influence on our culture is that we do not fully grasp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/generally-speaking-the-reason-the-church-fails-to-have-a-more/)

[Philip Graham Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/)

> [When Christians are caught in sin, they do not need isolation or amputation; they need restoration. The proper thing to do is to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/when-christians-are-caught-in-sin-they-do-not-need-isolation-or/)

[Philip Graham Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/)

> [The cross of Christ is the all-sufficient ground for the salvation of sinners. It claims to be sturdy enough to support the whole weight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/the-cross-of-christ-is-the-all-sufficient-ground-for-the-salvation-of/)

[Philip Graham Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/)

> [God's careful instructions for building the tabernacle in Exodus 31 remind us that his perfection sets the standard for whatever we create in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/god-s-careful-instructions-for-building-the-tabernacle-in-exodus-31/)

[Philip Graham Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/)

[Explore all 13 Philip Graham Ryken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/)

## More Art quotes

> [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/)

[Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/)

> [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/)

[Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/)

> [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/)

[Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/)

> [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/)

[Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/)

> [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/)

Taf Teh

> [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/)

[Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/)

> [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/)

[Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/)

> [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/)

[Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/)

[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/)

> [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/)

[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/)

> [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/)

[Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/)

[Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Goodness is both an ethical and an esthetic standard.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Philip Graham Ryken"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/goodness-is-both-an-ethical-and-an-esthetic-standard/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Art"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/goodness-is-both-an-ethical-and-an-esthetic-standard/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/philip-graham-ryken-36263_art_goodness-is-both-an-ethical-and-an-esthe_412284.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/philip-graham-ryken-36263_art_goodness-is-both-an-ethical-and-an-esthe_412284.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/philip-graham-ryken-36263_art_goodness-is-both-an-ethical-and-an-esthe_412284.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Goodness is both an ethical and an esthetic standard.” — Philip Graham Ryken",
                "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": "Philip Graham Ryken",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-graham-ryken/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Goodness is both an ethical and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/goodness-is-both-an-ethical-and-an-esthetic-standard/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-graham-ryken/goodness-is-both-an-ethical-and-an-esthetic-standard/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```