“If God does not exist, everything is permitted.”Feodor Dostoievski · Frații Karamazov · 1880 · Cartea XI, Capitolul 4
Without an absolute moral principle, any action can be justified.
Dostoevsky poses a core ethical dilemma: if good and evil lack divine backing, they become relative. Ivan Karamazov uses this idea to examine a world without God. In practice, someone who believes no ultimate judge exists can justify anything, from a harmless lie to murder. For instance, a dictator who sees himself as the sole moral authority may decide killing is permissible for a 'greater good'.
Ivan Karamazov does not claim that people without faith automatically become criminals. He warns about a subtler danger: when good and evil have no common foundation, everyone can build their own morality based on self-interest. For example, a manager who lies in a financial report might say 'everyone does it.' Without an absolute reference, justification becomes a personal choice. And this opens the door to another danger, which Dostoevsky explores further.
Why it matters This phrase helps you grasp why societies need shared values and why, without them, any abuse can be justified.