Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.
AristotleRead
Anything whose presence or absence makes no discernible difference is no essential part of the whole.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote implies that elements that do not significantly impact the overall outcome are not truly essential.
In this quote, Aristotle is highlighting the importance of understanding which components of a system or situation are truly necessary for its functioning or meaning. If the removal or addition of an element does not change the overall essence or outcome, then that element can be considered non-essential. This emphasizes a fundamental idea in philosophy and systems thinking about essential versus non-essential components.
Themes
EssenceImportanceNecessityPhilosophyAristotle
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about minimalism in design.
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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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