Friedrich Durrenmatt Quotes

Are we beasts? Are we taking this too far?

We are all ready to be savage in some cause. The difference between a good man and a bad one is the choice of the cause.

I do not see why man should not be just as cruel as nature.

An animal takes freely anything that it wishes: it commits no sin and is not held responsible for its action because it knows no better. But as soon as the idea of 'mine' and 'thine' has been imprinted upon our consciousness, then also the responsibility comes.

The commandment 'Thou shalt not kill' does not say it's O.K. to kill some people and not others.

It’s almost impossible to imagine a society saying, “It’s all right use embryonic stem cells to save your dying dog, but it’s not okay to use them to save your dying child.”… America’s love affair with animals will slowly but inevitably undermine the religious, moral, and ethical arguments against genome-based therapies for people. Healthier cats and dogs will generate an irresistible demand for healthier children and adults.

Man is said to be a reasoning animal. I do not know why he has not been defined as an affective or feeling animal. Perhaps that which differentiates him from other animals is feeling rather than reason

The human being is a strange mixture of blind instinct, on one hand, and conscience, on the other.

Some might argue humans are hard-wired to fight. I don't agree: we are conscious beings who have the capacity to make decisions.

I can't even kill a lobster without saying a Hail Mary for it.

When a human being kills an animal for food, he is neglecting his own hunger for justice.

So?" Bob said. "Hat up, go kill her. Problem solved." "Bob," I said. "You can't just go around killing people." "I know. That's why you should do it." "No, no. I can't go around killing people, either.

No human being, past the thoughtless age of boyhood, will wantonly murder any creature which holds its life by the same tenure that he does.

There slowly grew up in me an unshakable conviction that we have no right to inflict suffering and death on another living creature, unless there is some unavoidable necessity for it.

Do they deserve to die?" but "Do we deserve to kill them?

It's hard to kill a creature once it lets you see its consciousness.

Abortion is not the lesser of two evils. It is a crime. It is to throw someone out in order to save another. That's what the Mafia does.

Taking the life of another is always a moral crime.

We do not think clearly about our moral obligations to animals.

It's obvious you shouldn't steal, kill or be cruel.

I know that war and mayhem run in our blood. I refuse to believe that they must dominate our lives. We humans are animals, too, but animals with amazing powers of rationality, morality, society. We can use our strength and courage not to savage each other, but to defend our highest purposes.

Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?

It is much easier to show compassion to animals. They are never wicked.

I don't believe in murder.

To kill a man is not to defend a doctrine, but to kill a man.