--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Evil is uncertain in the same degree as…" description: "\"Evil is uncertain in the same degree as good, and for the reason that we ought not to hope too securely, we ought not to fear with too much dejection\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a82/samuel-johnson-50_degrees_evil-is-uncertain-in-the-same-degree-as_1215156.png" --- # Evil is uncertain in the same degree as good, and for the… ![“Evil is uncertain in the same degree as good, and for the reason that we ought not to hope too securely, we ought not to fear with too much dejection” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a82/samuel-johnson-50_degrees_evil-is-uncertain-in-the-same-degree-as_1215156.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a82/samuel-johnson-50_degrees_evil-is-uncertain-in-the-same-degree-as_1215156.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a82/samuel-johnson-50_degrees_evil-is-uncertain-in-the-same-degree-as_1215156.png) > “Evil is uncertain in the same degree as good, and for the reason that we ought not to hope too securely, we ought not to fear with too much dejection” [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Good and evil are equally uncertain; we should avoid both over‑hope and over‑fear. **In simple terms:** Good and evil are uncertain. Key Takeaway Balance hope and fear. Themes philosophy ethics uncertainty Mood contemplative balanced Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - decision making - risk assessment - personal growth Key Concepts moral relativism emotional regulation Questions to Reflect On - How do you manage hope and fear? - When is caution beneficial? A Different Perspective Excessive caution can hinder action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Degrees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degrees/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Uncertain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-uncertain-3699115/) [Hope Securely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope-securely-3699116/) [Ought Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought-fear-700180/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Securely Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/securely-ought-3699117/) [Uncertain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertain/) ## Related quotes > [We ought to fear a man who hates himself, for we are at risk of becoming victims of his anger and revenge. 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He that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/there-are-some-works-which-the-authors-must-consign-unpublished-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Every man is prompted by the love of himself to imagine that he possesses some qualities, superior, either in kind or degree, to those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/every-man-is-prompted-by-the-love-of-himself-to-imagine-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You imagine that I look back on my life's work with calm satisfaction. But from nearby it looks quite different. There is not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/you-imagine-that-i-look-back-on-my-life-s-work-with-calm-satisfaction/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. 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