--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No man can be judge to his own cause." description: "\"No man can be judge to his own cause.\" — Thomas Hobbes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/thomas-hobbes-1127_cause_no-man-can-be-judge-to-his-own-cause-305_3054259.jpg" --- # No man can be judge to his own cause. ![“No man can be judge to his own cause.” quote by Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/thomas-hobbes-1127_cause_no-man-can-be-judge-to-his-own-cause-305_3054259.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/thomas-hobbes-1127_cause_no-man-can-be-judge-to-his-own-cause-305_3054259.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/thomas-hobbes-1127_cause_no-man-can-be-judge-to-his-own-cause-305_3054259.jpg) > “No man can be judge to his own cause.” [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One cannot objectively judge their own cause; self-interest clouds judgment. **In simple terms:** Self-judgment is biased. Key Takeaway Seek external perspective on personal matters. Themes bias self-interest judgment Mood critical analytical Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - decision making - conflict resolution - leadership Key Concepts philosophy ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can you mitigate personal bias? - When should you seek outside counsel? A Different Perspective External opinions may also be biased. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cause/) [Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/causes/) [Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judge/) [Judge Cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judge-cause-1162902/) [Judging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging/) [Man Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-judge-1352822/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [It is not permitted to the most equitable of men to be a judge in his own cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/it-is-not-permitted-to-the-most-equitable-of-men-to-be-a-judge-in-his/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [well, young man," the judge began, what it biols down to this if the court so desires and if you belive that your home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-pelzer/well-young-man-the-judge-began-what-it-biols-down-to-this-if-the/) [Dave Pelzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-pelzer/) > [A man up in front of a judge says "I don't recognise this court." "Why not?" "It's been redecorated since the last time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-carson/a-man-up-in-front-of-a-judge-says-i-don-t-recognise-this-court-why/) [Frank Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-carson/) > [nobody is a good judge in his own cause!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-of-lisieux/nobody-is-a-good-judge-in-his-own-cause/) [Therese of Lisieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-of-lisieux/) > [“One of the first motives to civil society, and which becomes one of its fundamental rules, is that no man should be judge in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/one-of-the-first-motives-to-civil-society-and-which-becomes-one-of/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [No man is allowed to be a judge in his own cause; because his interest would certainly bias his judgment, and, not improbably, corrupt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/no-man-is-allowed-to-be-a-judge-in-his-own-cause-because-his-interest-2/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“No man ought certainly to be a judge in his own cause, or in any cause in respect to which he has the least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/no-man-ought-certainly-to-be-a-judge-in-his-own-cause-or-in-any-cause/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [The reasonableness of the agency of the national courts in cases in which the state tribunals cannot be supposed to be impartial, speaks for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-reasonableness-of-the-agency-of-the-national-courts-in-cases-in/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [No man is allowed to be a judge in his own cause, because his interest would certainly bias his judgment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/no-man-is-allowed-to-be-a-judge-in-his-own-cause-because-his-interest/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [No man is allowed to be a judge in his own cause . . . . With equal, nay with greater reason, bodies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/no-man-is-allowed-to-be-a-judge-in-his-own-cause-with-equal-nay-with/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Judge me not; cause you know me not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/judge-me-not-cause-you-know-me-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is not for me to pass judgement on those prisoners who put their own people above everyone else. Who can throw a stone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/it-is-not-for-me-to-pass-judgement-on-those-prisoners-who-put-their/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [As for a future life, every man must judge for himself between conflicting vague probabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/as-for-a-future-life-every-man-must-judge-for-himself-between/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [“It's okay to judge a man but never judge his dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabelo-mabona/it-s-okay-to-judge-a-man-but-never-judge-his-dreams/) [Kabelo Mabona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabelo-mabona/) > [It is hard for a blind man to judge, don't claim to be more blessed than he, just because you can see!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-hard-for-a-blind-man-to-judge-don-t-claim-to-be-more-blessed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Thomas Hobbes > [“Give an inch, he'll take an ell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/give-an-inch-he-ll-take-an-ell/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Do not that to another, which thou wouldst not have done to thyself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/do-not-that-to-another-which-thou-wouldst-not-have-done-to-thyself/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [For it is with the mysteries of our religion, as with wholesome pills for the sick, which swallowed whole, have the virtue to cure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/for-it-is-with-the-mysteries-of-our-religion-as-with-wholesome-pills/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Intemperance is naturally punished with diseases; rashness, with mischance; injustice; with violence of enemies; pride, with ruin; cowardice, with oppression; and rebellion, with slaughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/intemperance-is-naturally-punished-with-diseases-rashness-with/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A man's conscience and his judgment is the same thing; and as the judgment, so also the conscience, may be erroneous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-man-s-conscience-and-his-judgment-is-the-same-thing-and-as-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [He that is to govern a whole Nation , must read in himself, not this, or that particular man; but Mankind; which though it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/he-that-is-to-govern-a-whole-nation-must-read-in-himself-not-this-or/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [If men are naturally in a state of war, why do they always carry arms and why do they have keys to lock their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/if-men-are-naturally-in-a-state-of-war-why-do-they-always-carry-arms/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Let a man (as most men do) rate themselves as the highest Value they can; yet their true Value is no more than it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/let-a-man-as-most-men-do-rate-themselves-as-the-highest-value-they/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [A free man is he that, in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do, is not hindered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/a-free-man-is-he-that-in-those-things-which-by-his-strength-and-wit/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [“Covenants, without the sword, are but words and of no strength to secure a man at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/covenants-without-the-sword-are-but-words-and-of-no-strength-to/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Fear of things invisible in the natural seed of that which everyone in himself calleth religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/fear-of-things-invisible-in-the-natural-seed-of-that-which-everyone/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [Because silver and gold have their value from the matter itself, they have first this privilege, that the value of them cannot be altered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/because-silver-and-gold-have-their-value-from-the-matter-itself-they/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [What reason is there that he which laboreth much, and, sparing the fruits of his labor, consumeth little, should be more charged than he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/what-reason-is-there-that-he-which-laboreth-much-and-sparing-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The cause of Sense, is the External Body, or Object, which presseth the organ proper to each Sense, either immediately, as in theTaste and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-cause-of-sense-is-the-external-body-or-object-which-presseth-the/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The characters of man's heart, blotted and confounded as they are with dissembling, lying, counterfeiting, and erroneous doctrines, are legible only to him that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-characters-of-man-s-heart-blotted-and-confounded-as-they-are-with/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) [Explore all 285 Thomas Hobbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) ## More Cause quotes > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Time travel offends our sense of cause and effect - but maybe the universe doesn't insist on cause and effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/time-travel-offends-our-sense-of-cause-and-effect-but-maybe-the/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Take the L out of Lover 'cause we're Over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-the-l-out-of-lover-cause-we-re-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Must whales and dolphins be subjected to deafening noise that will cause more than 3.5 million instances of temporary and/or permanent hearing loss? For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/must-whales-and-dolphins-be-subjected-to-deafening-noise-that-will/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [Nothing can be produced without a cause, and the effect is but the cause reproduced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/nothing-can-be-produced-without-a-cause-and-the-effect-is-but-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Knowing the cause of something is not going to help you to be free of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/knowing-the-cause-of-something-is-not-going-to-help-you-to-be-free-of/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [You miss me and tease me 'cause in the end you're gonna please me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-isaacs/you-miss-me-and-tease-me-cause-in-the-end-you-re-gonna-please-me/) [Gregory Isaacs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-isaacs/) > [If I lose the ball I cause the team a problem. I am here to provide solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-busquets/if-i-lose-the-ball-i-cause-the-team-a-problem-i-am-here-to-provide/) [Sergio Busquets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-busquets/) > [We are too much accustomed to attribute to a single cause that which is the product of several, and the majority of our controversies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/we-are-too-much-accustomed-to-attribute-to-a-single-cause-that-which/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“Until you find a cause you can die for, you are not worthy to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/until-you-find-a-cause-you-can-die-for-you-are-not-worthy-to-live/) [Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ifeanyi-enoch-onuoha/) > [Pacifism as a mass movement aims to avoid suffering; pacifists often say that no cause is worth suffering or dying for. The ethos of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-michnik/pacifism-as-a-mass-movement-aims-to-avoid-suffering-pacifists-often/) [Adam Michnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-michnik/) > [“...There are so many paths you can follow. So much effect from one simple cause.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-allen/there-are-so-many-paths-you-can-follow-so-much-effect-from-one-simple/) [Lee Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-allen/) > [War can be prevented only by broad-minded statesmanship - a statesmanship that understands how to enlist people's interests in a leading cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-key/war-can-be-prevented-only-by-broad-minded-statesmanship-a/) [Ellen Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-key/) > [I think the other misconceptions when the film came out, he was very upset that it was so widely released and so widely seen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-zwigoff/i-think-the-other-misconceptions-when-the-film-came-out-he-was-very/) [Terry Zwigoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-zwigoff/) [Browse all 1,323 Cause quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cause/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No man can be judge to his own cause.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Hobbes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/no-man-can-be-judge-to-his-own-cause/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cause" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/no-man-can-be-judge-to-his-own-cause/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/thomas-hobbes-1127_cause_no-man-can-be-judge-to-his-own-cause-305_3054259.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/thomas-hobbes-1127_cause_no-man-can-be-judge-to-his-own-cause-305_3054259.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65a/thomas-hobbes-1127_cause_no-man-can-be-judge-to-his-own-cause-305_3054259.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No man can be judge to his own cause.” — Thomas Hobbes", "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": "Thomas Hobbes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No man can be judge to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/no-man-can-be-judge-to-his-own-cause/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/no-man-can-be-judge-to-his-own-cause/#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 } } ] } ```