--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To look for a single general theory of…" description: "\"To look for a single general theory of how to decide the right thing to do is like looking for a single theory of how to decide what to believe.\" — Tho..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/134/thomas-nagel-9440_action_to-look-for-a-single-general-theory-of-h_325248.jpg" --- # To look for a single general theory of how to decide the… ![“To look for a single general theory of how to decide the right thing to do is like looking for a single theory of how to decide what to believe.” quote by Thomas Nagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/134/thomas-nagel-9440_action_to-look-for-a-single-general-theory-of-h_325248.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/134/thomas-nagel-9440_action_to-look-for-a-single-general-theory-of-h_325248.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/134/thomas-nagel-9440_action_to-look-for-a-single-general-theory-of-h_325248.jpg) > “To look for a single general theory of how to decide the right thing to do is like looking for a single theory of how to decide what to believe.” [Thomas Nagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-nagel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeking one universal rule for ethics or belief is as impossible as finding a single theory for all knowledge. **In simple terms:** No single theory can guide all decisions. Key Takeaway Accept pluralism in ethics. Themes ethics epistemology pluralism theory Mood analytical skeptical Type philosophical academic When to use this quote - policy making - personal morality - academic debate Key Concepts philosophical inquiry relativism Questions to Reflect On - Can we live without any universal principles? - What guides your decisions when theories conflict? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on one theory can oversimplify. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) [Things to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-to-do/) ## Related quotes > [I have a theory that you can decide to make whatever day it is a good day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-have-a-theory-that-you-can-decide-to-make-whatever-day-it-is-a-good/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [Knowledge is not a series of self consistent theories that converges towards an ideal view; it is rather an ever increasing ocean of mutually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feyerabend/knowledge-is-not-a-series-of-self-consistent-theories-that-converges-2/) [Paul Feyerabend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feyerabend/) > [No single theory ever agrees with all the facts in its domain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feyerabend/no-single-theory-ever-agrees-with-all-the-facts-in-its-domain/) [Paul Feyerabend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feyerabend/) > [I think it laughable, frankly, that the physics community comes up with a theory for everything. 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