Western Philosophy

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Happiness is an activity of soul in accordance with complete excellence.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Happiness is an activity of soul in accordance with complete excellence.”​

“Happiness is an activity of soul in accordance with complete excellence.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 7 Simple Explanation:Aristotle defines eudaimonia (true happiness) not as passive joy, but as ​ongoing engagement of the mind and character. ​Complete excellence means harmonizing all virtues — courage, wisdom, justice — through daily choices, like a pianist mastering … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “The good we are seeking is human good and the happiness of man.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “The good we are seeking is human good and the happiness of man.”​

“The good we are seeking is human good and the happiness of man.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 7 Simple Explanation:Aristotle asserts that ​human flourishing (eudaimonia) is a unique telos — distinct from animal survival or divine perfection. It’s achieved through ​cultivating virtues (courage, justice) and ​exercising reason — a dance of ethical rigor … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Goods in themselves are those pursued apart from their consequences, such as wisdom and sight.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Goods in themselves are those pursued apart from their consequences, such as wisdom and sight.”​

“Goods in themselves are those pursued apart from their consequences, such as wisdom and sight.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 6 Simple Explanation:Aristotle distinguishes ​intrinsic goods (valued for their own sake) from instrumental goods (valued for outcomes). ​Wisdom (contemplating truth) and ​sight (experiencing beauty) are “self-justifying” — like stars shining whether humans gaze or … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “The Pythagoreans place the One among the goods; perhaps they are right.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “The Pythagoreans place the One among the goods; perhaps they are right.”​

“The Pythagoreans place the One among the goods; perhaps they are right.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 6 Simple Explanation:Aristotle cautiously endorses the ​Pythagorean view that ​mathematical unity (the One) embodies a form of goodness. Unlike Plato’s abstract “Form of the Good,” this suggests ​cosmic harmony — from musical scales to planetary orbits — … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “If there were one common idea of good, there would be one science of all goods; but there are many sciences.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “If there were one common idea of good, there would be one science of all goods; but there are many sciences.”​

“If there were one common idea of good, there would be one science of all goods; but there are many sciences.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 6 Simple Explanation:Aristotle dismantles Plato’s theory of a single “Form of the Good.” He argues that ​different domains (medicine, architecture, ethics) pursue ​distinct goods (health, structural integrity, justice) … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “The good is not a common universal idea; for ‘good’ is predicated in all categories.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “The good is not a common universal idea; for ‘good’ is predicated in all categories.”​

“The good is not a common universal idea; for ‘good’ is predicated in all categories.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 6 Simple Explanation:Aristotle rejects Plato’s theory of a single “universal Good” (e.g., Justice, Beauty). Instead, ​goodness varies across contexts — medical “good” is health, military “good” is victory, personal “good” is eudaimonia. Like a … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Wealth is merely useful for the sake of something else.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Wealth is merely useful for the sake of something else.”​

“Wealth is merely useful for the sake of something else.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 5 Simple Explanation:Aristotle dismisses wealth as an ​instrumental good — a tool to achieve higher ends (health, education, community), not a goal itself. Like a hammer’s value lies in building homes, wealth’s purpose is to enable ​virtuous living (eudaimonia), … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Honour is too superficial to be the good we seek; it depends on those who confer it.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Honour is too superficial to be the good we seek; it depends on those who confer it.”​

“Honour is too superficial to be the good we seek; it depends on those who confer it.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 5 Simple Explanation:Aristotle argues that ​honour (praise, awards, social status) is an unstable, ​superficial good because its value hinges on others’ opinions. True ​human flourishing (eudaimonia) must be ​self-sufficient — rooted in … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “The life of enjoyment is slavish and fit only for beasts.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “The life of enjoyment is slavish and fit only for beasts.”​

“The life of enjoyment is slavish and fit only for beasts.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 5 Simple Explanation:Aristotle condemns a life chasing ​shallow pleasures (e.g., overeating, endless entertainment) as “slavish” — akin to animals driven by instinct. True ​human dignity, he argues, lies in ​self-disciplined virtue and ​rational pursuits, not passive indulgence. Real-World … Read more