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Quote by William Godwin

“The real or supposed rights of man are of two kinds, active and passive; the right in certain cases to do as we list; and the right we possess to the forbearance or assistance of other men. The first of these a just philosophy will probably induce us universally to explode.”

Quote by William Godwin

Book:Enquiry Concerning Political Justice and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness

Work

Enquiry Concerning Political Justice and Its Influence on Morals and Happiness

This book delves into the philosophical underpinnings of political justice and its impact on personal morals and overall well-being, offering a comprehensive analysis of the interplay between these concepts. more

Author

William Godwin was an English journalist, writer, and philosopher known for his contributions to liberal and socialist ideas. He is particularly famous for his work 'Enquiry Concerning Political Justice', which outlined theories on freedom, equality, and property. Born on March 3, 1756, he passed away on April 7, 1836. more

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“By right, as the word is employed in this subject, has always been understood discretion, that is, a full and complete power of either doing a thing or omitting it, without the person's becoming liable to animadversion or censure from another, that is, in other words, without his incurring any degree of turpitude or guilt. Now in this sense I affirm that man has no rights, no discretionary power whatever.”

Men Persons Rights Atheism Subjects Becoming Degrees Understood Guilt Positive Atheism Employed Discretion Liable Censure Incurring Omitting

Book:An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice: And Its Influence on General Virtue and Happiness

Source: An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice: And Its Influence on General Virtue and Happiness

“There is no sphere in which a human being can be supposed to act where one mode of reasoning will not, in every given instance, be more reasonable than any other mode. That mode the being is bound by every principle of justice to pursue.”

Humans Given Justice Human Beings Principles Atheism Bounds Pursue Instance Reasoning Reasonable Spheres

Author:William Godwin

“He has no right to his life when his duty calls him to resign it. Other men are bound ... to deprive him of life or liberty, if that should appear in any case to be indispensably necessary to prevent a greater evil.”

Ifs Men Should Evil Liberty Cases Greater Atheism Duty Bounds Positive Atheism

Book:Enquiry concerning political justice: with selections from Godwin's other writings

Source: Enquiry concerning political justice: with selections from Godwin's other writings

“The web of this world is woven of Necessity and Chance. Woe to him who has accustomed himself from his youth up to find something necessary in what is capricious, and who would ascribe something like reason to Chance and make a religion of surrendering to it.”

World Reason Chance Atheism This World Youth Woe Accustomed Woven Capricious

Author:Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“This being busied with thoughts of immortality is for the noble classes and especially for women with nothing to do. A solid person, though, someone who already intends to be something worthy here, and who therefore has to strive daily, has to struggle and work, gives the world to come a rest.”

World Giving Persons Class Struggle Atheism Strive Worthy Noble Immortality

Author:Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Christianity is most admirably adapted to the training of slaves, to the perpetuation of a slave society.”

Christianity Atheism Training Slave Positive Atheism Adapted

Book:Mother Earth, a Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Social Science and Literature

Source: Mother Earth, a Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Social Science and Literature

“It is characteristic of theistic "tolerance" that no one really cares what the people believe in, just so they believe or pretend to believe.”

People Believe Care Atheism Positive Atheism Tolerance Characteristics

Book:Mother Earth, a Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Social Science and Literature

Source: Mother Earth, a Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Social Science and Literature

“Redemption through the Cross is worse than damnation, because of the terrible burden it imposes upon humanity, because of the effect it has on the human soul, fettering and paralyzing it with the weight of the burden exacted through the death of Christ.”

Humans Soul Humanity Christ Atheism Effects Terrible Crosses Weight Burden Positive Atheism Redemption Human Soul Damnation

Book:Victims of Morality, and The Failure of Christianity: Two Lectures

Source: Victims of Morality, and The Failure of Christianity: Two Lectures

“Christ and his teachings are the embodiment of submission, of inertia, of the denial of life; hence responsible for the things done in their name.”

Done Names Christ Atheism Teaching Responsible Positive Atheism Denial Submission Things Done Embodiment Inertia

Book:Victims of Morality, and The Failure of Christianity: Two Lectures

Source: Victims of Morality, and The Failure of Christianity: Two Lectures

“A profession that we are a nation "under God" is identical, for establishment clause purposes, to a profession that we are a nation "under Jesus," a nation "under Vishnu," a nation "under Zeus," or a nation "under no god," because none of these professions can be neutral with respect to religion.”

Purpose Jesus Nations Atheism Positive Atheism Profession Establishment Identical Zeus Clauses Vishnu Establishment Clause

Author:Alfred Goodwin