Animals Quote by Ursula K. Le Guin
““So maybe the difference isn't language. Maybe it's this: animals do neither good nor evil. They do as they must do. We may call what they do harmful or useful, but good and evil belong to us, who chose to choose what we do. The dragons are dangerous, yes. They can do harm, yes. But they're not evil. They're beneath our morality, if you will, like any animal. Or beyond it. They have nothing to do with it. We must choose and choose again. The animals need only be and do. We're yoked, and they're free. So to be with an animal is to know a little freedom...””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin, 1969
Animals act according to nature; moral judgments belong to humans who decide how to interpret actions.
In simple terms: Animals are amoral; humans assign good or evil.
Key Takeaway
Recognize human responsibility in moral labeling.
Themes
morality
human agency
animal behavior
Mood
thoughtful
reflective
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- wildlife observation
- environmental policy
- personal reflection
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
ethics
free will
anthropomorphism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we decide which actions are morally relevant?
- What responsibilities arise from our moral judgments?
A Different Perspective
Animals lack moral agency, so projecting human ethics onto them can mislead.
![“Animals do neither good nor evil. They do as they must do.We may call what they do harmful or useful, but good and evil belong to us, who chose to choose what we do. [. . .] The animals need only be and do.We're yoked, and they're free. So to be with an animal is to know a little freedom.” quote by Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/214/ursula-k-le-guin-138_animal_animals-do-neither-good-nor-evil-they-do_1450130.jpg)
