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About this quote

What does it mean?
Every moral rule has some aspect that is inconvenient or difficult to follow in practice.
In plain terms
All moral rules have some inconvenient part.
What can you take from it?
Expect moral rules to have practical costs.

Where it applies

  • ethical decision making
  • policy making
  • self reflection

Putting it to work

  • prepare for moral trade-offs
  • balance ideals with reality

Questions to consider

  • Where do rules get in your way?
  • What rules are worth the cost?

Another view

Some moral principles remain worth following despite inconvenience.

More from Denis Diderot

  1. Evil always turns up in this world through some genius or other.

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  2. I believe in God, although I live very happily with atheists... It is very important not to mistake hemlock for parsley; but not at all so to believe or not in…

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  3. We are far more liable to catch the vices than the virtues of our associates.

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