Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to

Potter Stewart, a Justice of the United States Supreme Court, once gave voice to a truth that rises above all courts and constitutions: “Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.” These words shine like a torch in the darkness of human conduct, for they separate legality from morality, permission from virtue. They remind us that the measure of a life is not found in what one is allowed to do under the law, but in what one chooses to do under the guidance of conscience.

The meaning of this declaration lies in its distinction between rights and righteousness. A man may have the right to speak words of cruelty, but ethics would call him to speak with kindness. A merchant may have the right to exploit loopholes in the law for gain, but ethics demands fairness and integrity. Stewart teaches us that the law is the floor, not the ceiling; it sets boundaries of order, but it does not touch the heights of moral responsibility. The true test of character is found not in what is permitted, but in what is right.

The origin of this saying flows from Stewart’s life upon the bench, where he wrestled with cases that often revealed the gulf between law and justice. As a judge, he saw that law, crafted by human hands, was imperfect, and could never fully encompass the demands of morality. His words are not the judgment of an academic, but the distilled wisdom of one who sat at the crossroads of law and conscience. He knew that a society relying only on what is legal without the guiding light of ethics is destined to stray into corruption.

History offers witness to his wisdom. Consider the story of apartheid South Africa, where laws gave the government the “right” to segregate, oppress, and silence millions. Everything the state did was wrapped in legality, yet nothing was right. It was only when courageous men and women—Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, and countless others—chose the higher path of ethics that true justice began to emerge. This story shows us that the law, when divorced from morality, can become an instrument of injustice, but ethics restores the balance of what is truly just.

There is something deeply emotional in Stewart’s teaching, for it places a weight upon every human heart. No one can hide behind the shield of legality and claim innocence if their actions betray what is right. To live ethically is to hear the still voice of conscience above the clamor of permission. His words strip away excuses and compel us to ask: What kind of person am I, not just under the law, but in the sight of truth? In this way, his teaching is both humbling and ennobling.

To future generations, this quote is both warning and guidance. The warning: beware of confusing legality with morality, for laws change with time and rulers, but ethics endures in the human soul. The guidance: measure your actions not only by what is allowed, but by what is good, fair, and just. When faced with choices, seek not the path of convenience, but the path of integrity. For the true strength of a society lies not in the letter of its laws, but in the virtue of its people.

The lesson is plain: live beyond mere rights, and embrace responsibility. In practice, this means showing honesty when deception would go unpunished, generosity when selfishness is permitted, compassion when cruelty would be excused. It means acting not because you must, but because it is good. Each person who lives by this principle becomes a stone in the foundation of a just world.

Thus Stewart’s words endure as a solemn charge: “Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.” Let them be passed down like sacred counsel: that true greatness is not found in the liberties we seize, but in the responsibilities we honor. For when rights and righteousness walk together, justice is not only preserved—it is magnified, and the soul of humanity shines brighter than the law itself.