A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
If a thing is free to be good it is also free to be bad. And free will is what has made evil possible. Why, then, did God give them free will? Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes that free will allows for both good and evil actions, with love and goodness being valuable outcomes of that freedom.
C. S. Lewis explores the complex nature of free will, asserting that it is a dual-edged sword capable of producing both good and evil. He suggests that while the existence of free will permits the potential for evil, it is the same attribute that enables genuine love, goodness, and joy. Thus, the presence of free will is essential for a life filled with meaningful and profound experiences.
Themes
Free WillGoodnessEvilLoveChoice
In practice
Example use cases
During a philosophy class discussion on ethics, one could use this quote to illustrate the complexities of free will.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes →I enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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