Just 3 Quotes: Morals
08.04.2021
3 quotes from 3 books. Sent weekly.
Enjoy!
—Mark
“We should look at moral axioms the way a prospector looks at shiny rocks: with great respect and great suspicion.”
—The Moral Animal: Why We Are, the Way We Are: The New Science of Evolutionary Psychology, by Robert Wright (1994)
“Be very careful with the moral high ground. It helps to resolve conflict when you realize that everyone has different moral codes, and very few people intentionally make immoral decisions. Chase Jarvis once told me: ‘Everyone wants to see themselves as a good person.’ No matter how egregious the crime, the criminal usually has a reason for viewing it as morally acceptable.“
—Brandon Stanton of Humans of NY, quoted in Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World, by Tim Ferriss (2017)
“Effective altruism is about asking ‘How can I make the biggest difference I can?‘ and using evidence and careful reasoning to try to find an answer. It takes a scientific approach to doing good. Just as science consists of the honest and impartial attempt to work out what's true, and a commitment to believe the truth whatever that turns out to be.”
—Doing Good Better: How Effective Altruism Can Help You Help Others, Do Work that Matters, and Make Smarter Choices about Giving Back, by William MacAskill (2016)