It appears evident, therefore, that those actions only can truly be called virtuous, and deserving of moral approbation, which the agent believed to be right, and to which he was influenced, more or less, by that belief.
Interpretation
Moral actions are determined by the agent's belief in their righteousness.
This quote by Thomas Reid emphasizes the importance of belief in determining the morality of an action. It suggests that true virtue lies not only in the actions themselves but significantly in the agent's understanding and conviction that those actions are morally right. Therefore, for an action to be deemed virtuous, it must stem from a genuine belief in its righteousness, as mere compliance without conviction lacks moral worth.
In practice
During a philosophy class discussion on ethics.
There is no greater impediment to the advancement of knowledge than the ambiguity of words. To this chiefly it is owing that we find sects and parties in most branches of science [and politics]; and disputes that are carried on from age to age, without being brought to issue.
The laws of nature are the rules according to which the effects are produced; but there must be a cause which operates according to these rules. The laws of navigation never navigated a ship. The rules of architecture never built a house.
Every indication of wisdom, taken from the effect, is equally an indication of power to execute what wisdom planned.
I think people sleepwalk through their lives, and for me, I wanted to embrace everything. And that meant the agonizing pain and the transcendence, and you can't have one without the other.
It is easy to say that there are the rich and the poor, and so something should be done. But in history, there are always the rich and the poor. If the poor were not as poor, we would still call them the poor. I mean, whoever has less can be called the poor. You will always have the 10% that have less and the 10% that have the most.
Abolition of a woman's right to abortion, when and if she wants it, amounts to compulsory maternity: a form of rape by the State.
Biophilia, if it exists, and I believe it exists, is the innately emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms.
Do ask yourself why you, the individual, exist, and if you can get no other answer try for once to justify the meaning of your existence as it were a posteriori by setting before yourself an aim, a goal, a 'to this end', an exalted and noble 'to this end'.
Religion is the possibility of the removal of every ground of confidence except confidence in God alone.
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