William Godwin Quotes
I shall attempt to prove two things: first, that the actions and dispositions of mankind are the offspring of circumstances and events, and not of any original determination that they bring into the world; and, secondly, that the great stream of our voluntary actions essentially depends, not upon the direct and immediate impulses of sense, but upon the decisions of the understanding.
Godwin, William. An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, and Its Influence on General Virtue and Happiness. Vol. 1, G. G. J. and J. Robinson, 1793, p. 25.
There are many who disagree with this notion. They instead believe that circumstances and conditions will shape a great person’s actions. If character determined action and behavior, it would be very difficult to explain a great man who changes his mind on a major issue. Was the flip-flop the result of a radical character change? If not who would the same character produce two different outcomes with the same person?
William Godwin was an English journalist, political philosopher and novelist. He is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism and the first modern proponent of anarchism. Godwin is most famous for two books that he published within the space of a year: An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, an attack on political institutions, and Things as They Are; or, The Adventures of Caleb Williams, an early mystery novel which attacks aristocratic privilege. Based on the success of both, Godwin featured prominently in the radical circles of London in the 1790s. He wrote prolifically in the genres of novels, history and demography throughout his life.
