Identity Quote by Robert Musil
““For if one is partly insane, one is also, juridically, partly sane, and if one is partly sane one is at least partly responsible for one's actions, and if one is partly responsible one is wholly responsible; for responsibility is, as they say, that state in which the individual has the power to devote himself to a specific purpose of his own free will, independently of any compelling necessity, and one cannot simultaneously possess and lack such self-determination.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Man Without Qualities, Robert Musil, 1930
Partial sanity and insanity coexist, making individuals partly responsible and partly free; true responsibility requires self‑determination beyond external compulsion.
In simple terms: Responsibility requires self‑determination.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate personal agency and accept responsibility for choices.
Themes
responsibility
free will
self‑determination
morality
psychology
Mood
thoughtful
serious
analytical
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- legal decisions
- personal relationships
- career choices
- creative endeavors
- mental health treatment
Key Concepts
partial insanity
juridical responsibility
autonomy
ethical agency
Questions to Reflect On
- What does responsibility mean when mental capacity is impaired?
- How can society balance compassion with accountability?
A Different Perspective
Responsibility can be ambiguous when mental health issues affect judgment.
![“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s self. Everything in the worldly life is nothing but intoxication. The food is intoxicating, the senses are intoxicating. [Therefore] Go to the one, who…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2b3/dada-bhagwan-31_absolute_in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-into_3662.jpg)
