Universally Preferable Behaviour Quotes

“If I say that I need the government to protect my property, but that the government is by definition a group of people who can violate my property rights at will, then I am caught in an insurmountable contradiction. I am saying that my property rights must be defended – and then I create an agency to defend them that can violate them at any time. This”
― Stefan Molyneux, Universally Preferable Behaviour: A Rational Proof of Secular Ethics

“Service to “the country” is considered a virtue – although the net beneficiaries of that service are always those who rule citizens by force. In”
― Stefan Molyneux, Universally Preferable Behaviour: A Rational Proof of Secular Ethics

“Any time a system that justifies power can be conceived of running without that power, all those who profit from the manipulation of that power cry out that without them, all is lost.”
― Stefan Molyneux, Universally Preferable Behaviour: A Rational Proof of Secular Ethics

“When we speak of “gods,” we are really talking about “the opinions of priests.” When we speak of “the government,” we really mean “the violence of a tiny minority.”
― Stefan Molyneux, Universally Preferable Behaviour: A Rational Proof of Secular Ethics

“Since human beings do in fact have equal rights of property, any social system which rejects this right is doomed to utter failure – just as any bridge planner who rejects the reality of gravity will never be able to build a bridge that stands.”
― Stefan Molyneux, Universally Preferable Behaviour: A Rational Proof of Secular Ethics

“It is very hard to understand the logic and intelligence of the argument that, in order to protect us from a group that might overpower us, we should support a group that already has overpowered us. It”
― Stefan Molyneux, Universally Preferable Behaviour: A Rational Proof of Secular Ethics

“Since theft is the forcible removal of somebody else’s property without consent, then taxation is always, universally and forever a moral evil. Taxation”
― Stefan Molyneux, Universally Preferable Behaviour: A Rational Proof of Secular Ethics

“please find a summation of the core argument for morality. Reality is objective and consistent. “Logic” is the set of objective and consistent rules derived from the consistency of reality. Those theories that conform to logic are called “valid.” Those theories that are confirmed by empirical testing are called “accurate.” Those theories that are both valid and accurate are called “true.” “Preferences” are required for life, thought, language and debating. Debating requires that both parties hold “truth” to be both objective and universally preferable. Thus the very act of debating contains an acceptance of universally preferable behaviour (UPB). Theories regarding UPB must pass the tests of logical consistency and empirical verification. The subset of UPB that examines enforceable behaviour is called “morality.” As a subset of UPB, no moral theory can be considered true if it is illogical or unsupported by empirical evidence. Moral theories that are supported by logic and evidence are true. All other moral theories are false.”
― Stefan Molyneux, Universally Preferable Behaviour: A Rational Proof of Secular Ethics

“The fact that compliance with moral rules is optional, however, has confused many thinkers into believing that morality itself is subjective.”
― Stefan Molyneux, Universally Preferable Behaviour: A Rational Proof of Secular Ethics