--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am indeed a moral realist." description: "\"I am indeed a moral realist.\" — Torbjorn Tannsjo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/torbjorn-tannsjo-12405_character_i-am-indeed-a-moral-realist-1028682_1028682.jpg" --- # I am indeed a moral realist. ![“I am indeed a moral realist.” quote by Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/torbjorn-tannsjo-12405_character_i-am-indeed-a-moral-realist-1028682_1028682.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/torbjorn-tannsjo-12405_character_i-am-indeed-a-moral-realist-1028682_1028682.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/torbjorn-tannsjo-12405_character_i-am-indeed-a-moral-realist-1028682_1028682.jpg) > “I am indeed a moral realist.” [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral realism asserts that moral statements refer to objective facts independent of beliefs. **In simple terms:** Moral realism says moral truths exist independently. Key Takeaway Consider objective moral standards. Themes philosophy ethics ontology Mood analytical inquisitive Type philosophical theoretical When to use this quote - legal judgments - medical ethics - public policy Key Concepts objective morality meta‑ethics truth claims Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports objective morals? - How do cultural differences affect moral claims? A Different Perspective Debates exist about moral epistemology. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral Realist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-realist-426177/) [Realist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realist/) ## Related quotes > [Being a moral realist I see normative ethics as a search of the truth about our obligations and a search of explanation; the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/being-a-moral-realist-i-see-normative-ethics-as-a-search-of-the-truth/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [ \[Golfers\] are a special kind of moral realist who nips the normal romantic and idealistic yearnings in the bud by proving once or twice… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-cooke/golfers-are-a-special-kind-of-moral-realist-who-nips-the-normal/) [Alistair Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-cooke/) > [I am now a decided non-naturalist realist. And today we may even speak of a trend towards non-naturalist moral realism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/i-am-now-a-decided-non-naturalist-realist-and-today-we-may-even-speak/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [The endurance athlete is the ultimate realist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-liquori/the-endurance-athlete-is-the-ultimate-realist/) [Marty Liquori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-liquori/) > [My paintings are about light, about the way things look in their environment and especially about how things look painted. Form, colour and space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-goings/my-paintings-are-about-light-about-the-way-things-look-in-their/) [Ralph Goings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-goings/) > [Sooner or later, many idealists transform themselves into disheartened realists who mistakenly believe that giving up is the same thing as being realistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/sooner-or-later-many-idealists-transform-themselves-into-disheartened/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I think I probably hoped for it a little bit, but I'm not an optimist. I'm a realist... or maybe even a pessimist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-aiken/i-think-i-probably-hoped-for-it-a-little-bit-but-i-m-not-an-optimist/) [Clay Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-aiken/) > [I'm a realist, I understand football and situations in the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-snodgrass/i-m-a-realist-i-understand-football-and-situations-in-the-game/) [Robert Snodgrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-snodgrass/) > [I'm a realist and a dreamer. There are certain things you can give certain people and certain things you can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-winehouse/i-m-a-realist-and-a-dreamer-there-are-certain-things-you-can-give/) [Amy Winehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-winehouse/) > [A true architect is not an artist but an optimistic realist. They take a diverse number of stakeholders, extract needs, concerns, and dreams, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-sinclair/a-true-architect-is-not-an-artist-but-an-optimistic-realist-they-take/) [Cameron Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-sinclair/) > [Only the free and personal man is a good citizen (realist), and even with the lack of particular (scholarly, artistic, etc)culture, a tasteful judge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-stirner/only-the-free-and-personal-man-is-a-good-citizen-realist-and-even/) [Max Stirner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-stirner/) > [An executive should be a realist; and no one is less realistic than the cynic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/an-executive-should-be-a-realist-and-no-one-is-less-realistic-than/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [The intelligent investor is a realist who sells to optimists and buys from pessimists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-intelligent-investor-is-a-realist-who-sells-to-optimists-and-buys/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [It always felt like I had to be a realist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-tatum/it-always-felt-like-i-had-to-be-a-realist/) [Jack Tatum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-tatum/) > [Golf is not, on the whole, a game for realists. By its exactitudes of measurements it invites the attention of perfectionists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heywood-hale-broun/golf-is-not-on-the-whole-a-game-for-realists-by-its-exactitudes-of/) [Heywood Hale Broun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heywood-hale-broun/) ## More by Torbjorn Tannsjo > [Being a moral realist I see normative ethics as a search of the truth about our obligations and a search of explanation; the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/being-a-moral-realist-i-see-normative-ethics-as-a-search-of-the-truth/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [I do believe that what I have called populist democracy is to be preferred to what I have called elitist democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/i-do-believe-that-what-i-have-called-populist-democracy-is-to-be/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [It is true that it feels very differently to enjoy a good meal, taking part in an interesting conversation, or to think of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/it-is-true-that-it-feels-very-differently-to-enjoy-a-good-meal-taking/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [It is obvious that humanity faces existential threats of a global nature. They are global in the sense that is not possible to deal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/it-is-obvious-that-humanity-faces-existential-threats-of-a-global/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [To kill or not to kill, that was the question that haunted me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/to-kill-or-not-to-kill-that-was-the-question-that-haunted-me/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [Are there any good arguments in defence of moral nihilism? I think not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/are-there-any-good-arguments-in-defence-of-moral-nihilism-i-think-not/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [According to deontology it is wrong to kill an innocent human being, period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/according-to-deontology-it-is-wrong-to-kill-an-innocent-human-being/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [How could it be that I had a legal obligation to kill people I did not know, and who did certainly not consent to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/how-could-it-be-that-i-had-a-legal-obligation-to-kill-people-i-did/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [I want to think that there are better ways of obviating murder than to resort to capital punishment, but I realise that this may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/i-want-to-think-that-there-are-better-ways-of-obviating-murder-than/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [Even where people in different cultures agree they may all have gone wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/even-where-people-in-different-cultures-agree-they-may-all-have-gone/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [The Chinese are generally speaking much more reluctant than Westerners to killing as a means to the rescue of lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/the-chinese-are-generally-speaking-much-more-reluctant-than/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [I am indeed a hedonistic utilitarian. I have defended hedonistic utilitarianism for quite a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/i-am-indeed-a-hedonistic-utilitarian-i-have-defended-hedonistic/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [What we need is legislation, not negotiation, for the entire globe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/what-we-need-is-legislation-not-negotiation-for-the-entire-globe/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [There comes a time where next to everyone will resort to techniques that enhance cognitive, mental including emotive, physical, and other capacities. When this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/there-comes-a-time-where-next-to-everyone-will-resort-to-techniques/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) > [I believe that one basic question, what we ought to do, period (the moral question), is a genuine one. There exists a true answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/i-believe-that-one-basic-question-what-we-ought-to-do-period-the/) [Torbjorn Tannsjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) [Explore all 55 Torbjorn Tannsjo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am indeed a moral realist.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Torbjorn Tannsjo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/i-am-indeed-a-moral-realist/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/i-am-indeed-a-moral-realist/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/torbjorn-tannsjo-12405_character_i-am-indeed-a-moral-realist-1028682_1028682.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/torbjorn-tannsjo-12405_character_i-am-indeed-a-moral-realist-1028682_1028682.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a16/torbjorn-tannsjo-12405_character_i-am-indeed-a-moral-realist-1028682_1028682.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am indeed a moral realist.” — Torbjorn Tannsjo", "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": "Torbjorn Tannsjo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torbjorn-tannsjo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am indeed a moral realist.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/i-am-indeed-a-moral-realist/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torbjorn-tannsjo/i-am-indeed-a-moral-realist/#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 } } ] } ```