"A man is truly ethical only when he obeys the compulsion to help all life which he is able to assist, and shrinks from injuring anything that lives"

Albert Schweitzer's assertion about ethics centers on the universality and unconditionality of moral responsibility. At its core lies the idea that genuine morality stems from an instinctive and overriding urge to support and protect all living beings, not just fellow humans or those closest to oneself. The phrase "compulsion to help all life" signals a moral imperative that surpasses mere social expectation or legal compulsion, a deep, inner commitment to the well-being of everything that possesses life.

Ethics, for Schweitzer, is not a passive or selective process. It demands active engagement whenever one has the capacity to offer aid. It is not enough to refrain from harm; one must proactively seek to benefit others. The person guided by such ethics instinctively responds to suffering, recognizing a kinship with all living things, whether human, animal, or plant. Boundaries that usually divide different forms of life dissolve, replaced by an abiding sense of responsibility driven by empathy and respect for existence itself.

Equally important is the phrase "shrinks from injuring anything that lives". This highlights not just the absence of malevolent intent but an aversion to causing harm, rooted in reverence for life. It implies a sensitivity so acute that even the possibility of harm invites hesitation, careful consideration, and often restraint. Injuring life becomes morally repulsive, a last resort only when absolutely unavoidable. In essence, Schweitzer advocates for an expansive and inclusive ethical outlook where the measure of morality is neither partial nor contingent upon societal convenience, but instead arises from an unyielding respect for life in all its forms. By proposing such a standard, he challenges individuals to extend their circle of compassion infinitely, making reverence for life the foundation of all ethical thought and action.