Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.
Man perfected by society is the best of all animals; he is the most terrible of all when he lives without law, and without justice.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Aristotle suggests that humans reach their highest potential through societal structure, but can become destructive without laws and justice.
In this quote, Aristotle reflects on the dual nature of humanity as shaped by society. He posits that while individuals flourish and elevate as beings through the influence of social institutions like law and justice, they also possess the capacity for great destructiveness when left unchecked. This illustrates the importance of ethical frameworks in guiding human behavior and maintaining social order.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the role of law in society, you could reference this quote to emphasize the importance of legal structures.
More from Aristotle
All quotes βThose who cannot bravely face danger are the slaves of their attackers.
For often, when one is asleep, there is something in consciousness which declares that what then presents itself is but a dream.
You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.
But if nothing but soul, or in soul mind, is qualified to count, it is impossible for there to be time unless there is soul, but only that of which time is an attribute, i.e. if change can exist without soul.
The whole is more than the sum of its parts.
Similar quotes
And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We can't return we can only look behind From where we came And go round and round and round In the circle game.
No other technique for the conduct of life attaches the individual so firmly to reality as laying emphasis on work; for his work at least gives him a secure place in a portion of reality, in the human community.
As movie monsters go, zombies are the most human. They were human at one time. So we are confronted with ourselves in a way, which is much more frightening and disturbing.
New York is the place where all the aspirations of the western world meet to form one vast master aspiration, as powerful as the suction of a steam dredge. It is the icing on the pie called Christian civilization.
There are lots of research, of course, saying that a vast majority of us have been exposed to racial biases and stereotypes and, to some extent, we've internalized them, because that's so ubiquitous. That's why I'm so bored with the conversation about who's a racist and who's not.
What is life? A madness. What is life? An illusion, a shadow, a story. And the greatest good is little enough: for all life is a dream, and dreams themselves are only dreams.