Evil Quote by Philip Pullman
““When you stopped believing in God,” he went on, “did you stop believing in good and evil?” “No. But I stopped believing there was a power of good and a power of evil that were outside us. And I came to believe that good and evil are names for what people do, not for what they are. All we can say is that this is a good deed, because it helps someone, or that’s an evil one, because it hurts them. People are too complicated to have simple labels.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, 1995
The quote suggests morality is human‑created, not imposed by external forces, emphasizing personal responsibility.
In simple terms: Good and evil are human actions.
Key Takeaway
Take responsibility for your deeds.
Themes
morality
responsibility
human nature
Mood
thoughtful
philosophical
introspective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal decision making
- ethical debates
- social justice
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
Ethics
subjective morality
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you view morality as innate or constructed?
- How does this view affect your actions?
A Different Perspective
External forces can shape beliefs.
![“Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to [be] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is in play. Society has no obligation to try to rehabilitate evil.” quote by Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b89/bill-o-reilly-1019_destroyed_evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be_3597.jpg)
