Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.
AristotleRead
So virtue is a purposive disposition, lying in a mean that is relative to us and determined by a rational principle, and by that which a prudent man would use to determine it. It is a mean between two kinds of vice, one of excess and the other of deficiency.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Virtue is a balanced quality that lies between extremes of behavior, guided by reason and wisdom.
Aristotle emphasizes that virtue is not merely about adhering to moral standards, but is instead a cultivated disposition that seeks balance. It exists between two extremes – excess and deficiency – and is understood through the rational judgment of a wise individual, who seeks to navigate these extremes intelligently and responsibly.
Themes
VirtueMeanBalanceRationalityPrudence
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about ethical leadership, one might incorporate this quote to discuss the importance of balance in decision-making.
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You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.
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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.
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The whole is more than the sum of its parts.
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