Cats don't need to be possessed; they're evil on their own.

When I say "The good man gave his good dog a good meal," I use "good" analogically, for there is at the same time a similarity and a difference between a good man, a good dog, and a good meal. All three are desirable, but a good man is wise and moral, a good dog is tame and affectionate, and a good meal is tasty and nourishing. But a good man is not tasty and nourishing, except to a cannibal; a good dog is not wise and moral, except in cartoons, and a good meal is not tame and affectionate, unless it's alive as you eat it.

We can't avoid reasoning; we can only avoid doing it well.

Socrates: So even our walks are dangerous here. But you seem to have avoided the most dangerous thing of all.

Bertha: What's that?

Socrates: Philosophy.

Bertha: Oh, we have philosophers here.

Socrates: Where are they?

Bertha: In the philosophy department.

Socrates: Philosophy is not department.

Bertha: Well, we have philosophers.

Socrates: Are they dangerous?

Bertha: Of course not.

Socrates: Then they are not true philosophers.

The most total opposite of pleasure is not pain but boredom, for we are willing to risk pain to make a boring life interesting.

Zabuna o odnosu između poimanja osobe i čovjeka može uzrokovati golemu štetu. Američki Vrhovni sud dvaput je pokazao da mu je prijeko potrebna lekcija iz filozofije jer ne shvaća da ljudska bića spadaju pod osobe, a ne obrnuto, da su sva ljudska bića osobe te kao takve posjeduju temeljna ljudska prava. Dred Scott proglasio je crnce nepotpunim osobama opravdavši tako ropstvo i provodeći povratak odbjeglih robova kao da se radi o vlasništvu, a ne o osobama. Time im je oduzeo drugo temeljno ljudsko pravo, pravo na slobodu. Jedno stoljeće kasnije slučaj Roe protiv Wade oduzeo je nerođenoj djeci prvo osnovno pravo svake osobe, pravo na život. Ovo se temelji na filozofiji koja je zapravo identična nacističkoj: država uzima sebi moć da proglasi jednu vrstu ljudskih bića ne-osobama [bilo crnce, bilo Židove, bilo nerođene]. Osim što je riječ o prestrašnu moralu, radi se i o jako lošoj logici. Naime, smatra "osobe" užom kategorijom od "ljudskih bića". Postojanje anđela pokazuje da se zapravo radi o višoj kategoriji.