“Virtue requires both natural capacity and deliberate practice.”
— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 13
Explanation:
Aristotle’s formula for virtue development hinges on two interdependent forces:
- Natural Capacity — Innate aptitudes (e.g., empathy, analytical thinking) that seed potential.
- Deliberate Practice — Structured, goal-driven effort to refine those gifts into excellence.
- Metaphor: Like Michelangelo’s David emerging from raw marble, virtue demands both quality material (nature) and skilled chiseling (practice).
Real-World Connection:
① Olympic Athletes
- Nature: Genetic advantages (fast-twitch muscles for sprinters).
- Practice: 5 AM drills analyzing stride mechanics.
- Synthesis: Usain Bolt’s 9.58s 100m record (biology + 10,000 hours).
② Artistic Genius
- Nature: Picasso’s spatial intelligence (innate gift).
- Practice: 1897-1900 Blue Period experiments (deliberate style iteration).
- Synthesis: Guernica’s anti-war mastery (talent × disciplined study).
③ Ethical Leadership
- Nature: Mandela’s charisma (born communicator).
- Practice: 27 prison years honing reconciliation strategies.
- Synthesis: Post-apartheid truth commissions (natural grace + crafted wisdom).
The Golden Equation
- Nature Alone = Rainforest soil rich in nutrients… with no seeds planted.
- Practice Alone = Perfect farming tools… in a desert.
- Synthesis = Japanese Satoyama ecosystems: Biodiversity (nature) + Terrace farming (human craft) = Sustainable abundance.