Quotes About Morality

Man's work as Man is accomplished by virtue of Practical Wisdom and Moral Virtue, the latter giving the right aim and direction, the former the right means to its attainment;

Neither by nature, then, nor contrary to nature do the virtues arise in us; rather we are adapted by nature to receive them, and are made perfect by habit.

For 'activity in conformity with virtue' involves virtue.

Hence while in respect of its substance and the definition that states what it really is in essence virtue is the observance of the mean, in point of excellence and rightness it is an extreme.

All virtue is summed up in dealing justly.

men are guilty of the greatest crimes from ambition, and not from necessity

At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law & justice he is the worst.

By the way, a question is sometimes raised, whether the moral choice or the actions have most to do with Virtue, since it consists in both: it is plain that the perfection of virtuous action requires both: but for the actions many things are required, and the greater and more numerous they are the more.)

good character is the indispensable condition and chief determinant of happiness, itself the goal of all human doing.

Not in depraved things, but in those well oriented according to nature, are we to consider what is natural.

The fact is that the greatest crimes are caused by excess and not by necessity. Men do not become tyrants in order that they may not suffer cold; and hence great is the honour bestowed, not on him who kills a thief, but on him who kills a tyrant.

Of all the varieties of virtues, liberalism is the most beloved.

The life of active virtue is essentially pleasant.

The actions from which [virtue] was produced are also those in which it is exercised.

Again, Practical Wisdom and Excellence of the Moral character are very closely united; since the Principles of Practical Wisdom are in accordance with the Moral Virtues and these are right when they accord with Practical Wisdom.

One can with but moderate possessions do what one ought.

Nor is he liberal who gives with pain; for he would prefer the wealth to the noble act, and this is not characteristic of a liberal man. But no more will the liberal man take from wrong sources; for such taking is not characteristic of the man who sets no store by wealth.

Piety requires us to honour truth above our friends.

which we call men [Greek: euyvomoves], or say they have

Happiness requires both complete goodness and a complete lifetime.

None of the moral virtues is engendered in us by nature, for no natural property can be altered by habit.

We praise a man who feels angry on the right grounds and against the right persons and also in the right manner at the right moment and for the right length of time.

Moral virtue is the quality of acting in the best way in relation to pleasures and pains, and that vice is the opposite.

The most hated sort, and with the greatest reason, is usury, which makes a gain out of money itself, and not from the natural object of it. For money was intended to be used in exchange, but not to increase at interest. And this term interest, which means the birth of money from money, is applied to the breeding of money because the offspring resembles the parent. Wherefore of all modes of getting wealth this is the most unnatural.