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Single Idea 19366

[from 'The Theodicy' by Gottfried Leibniz, in 22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 1. Goodness / g. Consequentialism ]

Full Idea

One is more worthy of praise when one owes the action to one's good qualities, and more culpable in proportion as one has been impelled by one's evil qualities; assessing actions without weighing the qualities whence they spring is to talk at random.

Gist of Idea

You can't assess moral actions without referring to the qualities of character that produce them

Source

Gottfried Leibniz (The Theodicy [1710], p.426), quoted by Franklin Perkins - Leibniz: Guide for the Perplexed 4.IV

Book Reference

Perkins,Franklin: 'Leibniz: Guide for the Perplexed' [Continuum 2007], p.155


A Reaction

Mill tries to separate judgement of the agent from judgement of the consequences of the action, but I think Leibniz has spotted that just judging outcomes ceases to be a 'moral' judgement.