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The really difficult moral issues arise, not from a confrontation of good and evil, but from a collision between two goods
Irving Kristol
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Moral dilemmas often occur when two positive values conflict with each other, rather than just opposing good and evil.

Irving Kristol's quote emphasizes that the most complex moral challenges we face come from situations where two worthy principles or values come into conflict. Unlike straightforward battles between good and evil, these dilemmas require careful consideration and often lead to difficult choices, highlighting the intricate nature of ethics in real-life scenarios.

Themes

MoralityDilemmaValuesEthicsConflict

In practice

Example use cases

During a debate on ethics in a philosophy class, you could use this quote to illustrate how moral conflicts arise.

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