--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pleasure is the greatest incentive to evil." description: "\"Pleasure is the greatest incentive to evil.\" — Plato" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/plato-103_evil_pleasure-is-the-greatest-incentive-to-ev_2368274.jpg" --- # Pleasure is the greatest incentive to evil. ![“Pleasure is the greatest incentive to evil.” quote by Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/plato-103_evil_pleasure-is-the-greatest-incentive-to-ev_2368274.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/plato-103_evil_pleasure-is-the-greatest-incentive-to-ev_2368274.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/plato-103_evil_pleasure-is-the-greatest-incentive-to-ev_2368274.jpg) > “Pleasure is the greatest incentive to evil.” [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pleasure can motivate immoral actions, making it a powerful driver of wrongdoing. **In simple terms:** Pleasure can lead to evil. Key Takeaway Beware of seeking pleasure at any cost. Themes ethics human nature motivation Mood reflective serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal decisions - business practices - political policies Key Concepts philosophy psychology hedonism Questions to Reflect On - When does pleasure justify a choice? - Can you act ethically without pleasure? A Different Perspective Pleasure is not the only motivator; rational duty also guides behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Incentives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incentives/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) ## Related quotes > [The ideal hole (course) is surely one that affords the greatest pleasure to the greatest number.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alister-mackenzie/the-ideal-hole-course-is-surely-one-that-affords-the-greatest/) [Alister MacKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alister-mackenzie/) > [“The Greatest Pleasure & The Greatest Pain exists in a relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharmendra-u/the-greatest-pleasure-the-greatest-pain-exists-in-a-relationship/) Dharmendra U > [our country in general assumes that "the pursuit of happiness" really means "the pursuit of pleasure" and that therefore pleasure is the greatest good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/our-country-in-general-assumes-that-the-pursuit-of-happiness-really/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [“I used to think aged Scotch, expensive pool tables, and one-night stands were the height of pleasure. Then, my greatest guilty pleasure ever...turned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-blakely/i-used-to-think-aged-scotch-expensive-pool-tables-and-one-night/) [Lauren Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-blakely/) > [Let nobody speak mischief of anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/let-nobody-speak-mischief-of-anybody/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“When I kiss Agathon my soul is on my lips, where it comes, poor thing, hoping to cross over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-i-kiss-agathon-my-soul-is-on-my-lips-where-it-comes-poor-thing/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Hereditary honors are a noble and a splendid treasure to descendants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/hereditary-honors-are-a-noble-and-a-splendid-treasure-to-descendants/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [The Earth is like one of those balls made of twelve pieces of skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-earth-is-like-one-of-those-balls-made-of-twelve-pieces-of-skin/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I have good hope that there is something after death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-have-good-hope-that-there-is-something-after-death/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“He could not harm me, for I do not think it is permitted that a better man be harmed by a worse”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/he-could-not-harm-me-for-i-do-not-think-it-is-permitted-that-a-better/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“Even now I'm well aware that if I allowed myself to listen to him I couldn't resist but would have the same experience again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/even-now-i-m-well-aware-that-if-i-allowed-myself-to-listen-to-him-i/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Let no-one ignorant of geometry enter. Said to have been inscribed above the door of Plato's Academy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/let-no-one-ignorant-of-geometry-enter-said-to-have-been-inscribed/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And we shall most likely be defeated, and you will most likely be victors in the contest, if you learn so to order your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/and-we-shall-most-likely-be-defeated-and-you-will-most-likely-be/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“The love of man to woman is a thing common and of course, and at first partakes more of instinct and passion than of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-love-of-man-to-woman-is-a-thing-common-and-of-course-and-at-first/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Any city, however small, is in fact divided into two, one the city of the poor, the other of the rich; these are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/any-city-however-small-is-in-fact-divided-into-two-one-the-city-of/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More by Plato > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [You may be sure, dear Crito, that inaccurate language is not only in itself a mistake: it implants evil in men's souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/you-may-be-sure-dear-crito-that-inaccurate-language-is-not-only-in/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“If men learn this, it will implant forgetfulness in their souls; they will cease to exercise memory because they rely on that which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/if-men-learn-this-it-will-implant-forgetfulness-in-their-souls-they/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/knowledge-which-is-acquired-under-compulsion-obtains-no-hold-on-the/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I do not think it is permitted that a better man be harmed by a worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-do-not-think-it-is-permitted-that-a-better-man-be-harmed-by-a-worse/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Any city, however small, is in fact divided into two, one the city of the poor, the other of the rich; these are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/any-city-however-small-is-in-fact-divided-into-two-one-the-city-of/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [When men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody may believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-as-nobody-may-believe-them/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“The love of man to woman is a thing common and of course, and at first partakes more of instinct and passion than of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-love-of-man-to-woman-is-a-thing-common-and-of-course-and-at-first/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Strange times are these in which we live when old and young are taught in falsehood's school, and the one man that dares to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/strange-times-are-these-in-which-we-live-when-old-and-young-are/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“He was a wise man who invented God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/he-was-a-wise-man-who-invented-god/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [For let me tell you, that the more the pleasures of the body fade away, the greater to me is the pleasure and charm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/for-let-me-tell-you-that-the-more-the-pleasures-of-the-body-fade-away/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“What shall we say about those spectators, then, who can see a plurality of beautiful things, but not beauty itself, and who are incapable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/what-shall-we-say-about-those-spectators-then-who-can-see-a-plurality/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Geometry existed before creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/geometry-existed-before-creation/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [When men speak ill of thee, live so that nobody will believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-that-nobody-will-believe-them/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [We must, if we are to be consistent, and if we re to have a real pedigree herd, mate the best of our men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/we-must-if-we-are-to-be-consistent-and-if-we-re-to-have-a-real/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) [Explore all 1,278 Plato quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) James Nayler > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) [Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Pleasure is the greatest incentive to evil.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Plato" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/pleasure-is-the-greatest-incentive-to-evil/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/pleasure-is-the-greatest-incentive-to-evil/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/plato-103_evil_pleasure-is-the-greatest-incentive-to-ev_2368274.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/plato-103_evil_pleasure-is-the-greatest-incentive-to-ev_2368274.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/plato-103_evil_pleasure-is-the-greatest-incentive-to-ev_2368274.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Pleasure is the greatest incentive to evil.” — Plato", "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": "Plato", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Pleasure is the greatest incentive to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/pleasure-is-the-greatest-incentive-to-evil/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/pleasure-is-the-greatest-incentive-to-evil/#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 } } ] } ```