"An act has no ethical quality whatever unless it be chosen out of several all equally possible"
- William James
About this Quote
This quote by William James suggests that an action can not be judged as ethical or unethical unless it is picked from a variety of possible choices. This indicates that the ethical quality of an action is determined by the option made, instead of the action itself. It recommends that the ethical quality of an action is figured out by the context in which it is picked, instead of the action itself. For instance, if an individual picks to contribute cash to charity, this might be seen as an ethical action. Nevertheless, if the very same individual chooses to contribute cash to a political campaign, this could be viewed as a dishonest action. This quote recommends that the ethical quality of an action is determined by the choice made, rather than the action itself. It highlights the importance of making ethical options, as the ethical quality of an action is figured out by the option made. It also suggests that ethical decisions must be made carefully, as the ethical quality of an action is determined by the choice made.
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