Force and fraud are in war the two cardinal virtues.
Interpretation
Hobbes implies that in the context of war, power and deceit are essential strategies for success.
In this quote, Hobbes argues that the harsh realities of war necessitate the use of force and deception as fundamental principles. These two 'cardinal virtues' reflect a pragmatic view of human nature and the necessity for survival in a conflict-ridden environment, suggesting that ethical considerations may be set aside in favor of victory and dominance.
In practice
This quote could be used in a discussion about military strategy or ethics in warfare.
Baptism is the sacrament of allegiance of them that are to be received into the Kingdom of God, that is to say, into Eternal life, that is to say, to Remission of Sin. For as Eternal life was lost by the committing, so it is recovered by the remitting of men's sins.
For it is not the shape, but their use, that makes them angels.
For to accuse requires less eloquence, such is man's nature, than to excuse; and condemnation, than absolution, more resembles justice.
Scientia potentia est, sed parva; quia scientia egregia rara est, nec proinde apparens nisi paucissimis, et in paucis rebus. Scientiae enim ea natura est, ut esse intelligi non possit, nisi ab illis qui sunt scientia praediti.
The end of knowledge is power ... the scope of all speculation is the performing of some action or thing to be done.
They that approve a private opinion, call it opinion; but they that dislike it, heresy; and yet heresy signifies no more than private opinion.
No individual is alone responsible for a single stepping stone along the path of progress, and where the path is smooth progress is most rapid.
Death eats up all things, both the young lamb and old sheep; and I have heard our parson say, death values a prince no more than a clown.
Deep within every human being there still lives the anxiety over the possibility of being alone in the world, forgotten by God, overlooked among the millions and millions in this enormous household. One keeps this anxiety at a distance by looking at the many round about who are related to him as kin and friends, but the anxiety is still there, nevertheless, and one hardly dares think of how he would feel if all this were taken away.
Religion is defined as social systems whose participants avow a supernatural agent or agents whose approval is to be sought.
What I find very interesting is, we're not enthralled by the ancient world, and we've escaped all kinds of ancient preconceptions and assumptions and prejudices. But, nevertheless, we still make that connection between authoritative speech and male speech.
The pornographers are not a deviation from the norm. Their presence in the mainstream shouldn't be surprising, because they represent mainstream values: The logic of domination and subordination that is central to patriarchy, hyper-patriotic nationalism, white supremacy, and a predatory corporate capitalism.
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