The 100 best phrases of Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and mathematician, one of the most important in history, which lived between 384 BC. C. and 322 a. C. His ideas have inspired many for more than 2000 years, and his thinking lives on today.
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The most famous phrases and thoughts of Aristotle
During his life, Aristotle pronounced a multitude of famous phrases that have remained for the memory and for history.
In this article you can find a compilation of some of the great famous quotes from him, with a brief reflection or explanation below each one of them.
1. Intelligence consists not only in knowledge, but also in the ability to apply knowledge in practice
Knowledge is important, but if we don't put it into practice, we won't be able to master it.
2. I consider the one who conquers his desires more courageous than the one who conquers his enemies, since the hardest victory is the victory over oneself
Achieving what you want is not always easy, you have to fight against the world and against yourself.
3. They wish each other the good in the same sense
A phrase that invites the reader to free reflection.
4. There is only happiness where there is virtue and serious effort, because life is not a game
If we strive and achieve something we want, then we will find happiness
5. A faithful friend is a soul in two bodies
Friendship authentic is a divine gift
6. One does not know what he knows until he can teach another
If we do not master something, it is impossible for us to teach it to someone else.
7. It is not enough to just tell the truth, it is better to show the cause of the falsehood
Proving the lie may be necessary for them to believe us.
8. Hope is the dream of the waking man
Hope motivates us to keep going. To be on the move despite difficulties.
9. True happiness consists in doing good
If we are not honest and honest, we will hardly be happy.
10. Friendship is a soul that inhabits two bodies; a heart that dwells in two souls.
A nice pun about friendship and love between friends.
11. The friend is another me. Without friendship man can not be happy
Friendship is one of the sources of happiness. A true friend is an extension of ourselves.
12. What with a lot of work is acquired, the more is loved
Effort makes us value things when we have them.
13. It is important for those who want to achieve certainty in their research, knowing how to doubt in time
Doubt can make us reflect and grow.
14. The punishment of the liar is not to be believed, even when telling the truth
An ironic phrase about liars and their punishment.
15. The perfect friendship is that of the good and of those who resemble each other by virtue
Another quote from Aristotle about friendship and how perfection in relationship is based on honesty.
16. It is thought that fair is equal, and so it is; but not for everyone, but for the same. On the contrary, it is thought that what is just is what is unequal, and so it is, but not for everyone, but for the unequal.
We decide what is good or bad by consensus, but also by interest.
17. Some believe that to be friends it is enough to love, as if to be healthy it is enough to wish for health
Friendship must be worked on, not only must be affectionate.
18. The ignorant says, the wise doubts and reflects
Wisdom is found in reflection and questioning things.
19. The lonely man is a beast or a god
A quote from Aristotle that refers to loneliness.
20. The total truth is never reached, nor is one ever totally removed from it
The truths are relative, as Aristotle says.
21. Anyone can become angry, that is very simple. But getting angry with the right person, in the right degree, at the right time, with the right purpose and in the right way, that certainly is not so easy.
We all get angry, and expressing it incorrectly can get us into trouble.
22. Everyone's friend is not a friend
A friend is not the same as a person who is nice to everyone.
23. It is ignorance not knowing how to distinguish between what needs demonstration and what does not need it
There are things that do not need to be explained. An act is worth a thousand words.
24. The purpose of art is to embody the secret essence of things, not to copy their appearance
Art is creativity, not plagiarism.
25. It is an indisputable principle that to know how to command well, it is necessary to know how to obey
When one has lived it in his own flesh, then he can do something with knowledge.
26. Wisdom is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity
The wisdom it helps us to act in difficult times.
27. The soul is what we live, feel and think for
What we carry in our soul is our motivation, our engine to move.
28. You cannot be and not be something at the same time and under the same aspect
A phrase that talks about hypocrisy.
29. Time is the measure of motion between two moments
Aristotle, reflecting on what time is.
30. In reality, living as a man means choosing a target - honor, glory, wealth, culture - and aiming for it with all conduct, because not ordering life to an end is a sign of great foolishness.
People move for goals and that is why we fight for them.
31. A state is governed better by a good man than by good laws
An honest president is more than good laws.
32. In adversity virtue comes to light
It is in difficult moments when we reconnect with ourselves.
33. History tells what happened; poetry what had to happen
A nice reflection on what poetry is.
34. Those who do well are the only ones who can aspire to happiness in life
If we do things wrong, sooner or later we will pay for it.
35. The wise man does not say everything he thinks, but he always thinks everything he says
Wise people know that sometimes you have to keep quiet about things.
36. Love only occurs between virtuous people
Love is born within pure hearts.
37. The only truth is the reality
Everything that cannot be proven can be falsified.
38. Miser is the one who does not spend what he owes, or what he owes, or when he owes
A word game about greed.
39. Man can learn nothing except by virtue of what he already knows
Aristotle, philosophizing about people's learning.
40. You cannot untie a knot without knowing how it is done
We cannot solve problems without thinking about how to do it.
41. Just as the eyes of bats are clouded by daylight, in the same way the intelligence of our soul is clouded by obvious things.
A thought that allows us to reflect deeply.
42. Learning is not child's play; we can't learn without pain
The best learning experiences are those that have caused us suffering.
43. What has been achieved with much effort is wanted more
Although at the moment it costs us, in the long run we will appreciate it.
44. Great knowledge breeds great doubts
Existential doubts are what make us reflect deeply and, at the same time, grow.
45. Dialecticians and sophists, in their disquisitions, clothe themselves with the appearance of philosophers
For Aristotle, a sophist is one who uses sophism to reason.
46. There is only one driving force: desire
Desire makes us move and move on. It's ours motivation.
47. Man is by nature a political animal
People have always had political concerns.
48. Knowing is remembering
If we do not remember something, it is as if we do not know.
49. Tyrants surround themselves with bad men because they like to be flattered and no high-spirited man will flatter them.
Only the bad guys are going to want to be with the bad guys.
50. Virtue is an acquired voluntary disposition, which consists of a middle ground between two bad extremes, one by excess and the other by default.
Aristotle, with his reflection, reminds us what virtue is
51. Philosophy must be a special knowledge, of the first principles and of the first causes
Aristotle is undoubtedly one of the most famous philosophers in history.
52. He who possesses the most exact notions about the causes of things and is able to give a perfect account of them in his teaching, he is wiser than all the others in any other science.
There is no better expert than the one who is able to pass the knowledge on to his disciples.
53. You don't need a perfect government; you need one that is practical
What the people need is for the government to function based on their needs.
54. Doubt is the beginning of wisdom
Doubt moves our conscience towards reflection and true learning.
55. Acquiring such or such habits from a young age is of no small importance: it is of absolute importance
Habits that we learn at an early age are difficult to change.
56. Nature never does anything without reason
Nature has a purpose, according to Aristotle.
57. The antidote to fifty enemies is a friend
A single friend is worth more than all the enemies in the world.
58. Oral teachings must accommodate the habits of the listeners
The sender must be aware of the needs and characteristics of the receiver.
59. Quality is not an act, it is a habit
Quality is what lasts over time.
60. A definition is a phrase that means the essence of a thing
Aristotle, although it sounds ironic, defining the term definition.
61. The beauty of man is not in the sound, or in the meaning
It is not how we say it, but what we mean.
62. Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the overall and ultimate goal of human existence
We all want to be happy. That is our great motivation.
63. By dint of building well, you become a good architect
With practice, we can become experts at something and improve our skills.
64. We become brave by doing brave deeds
It is not the words that count, but the actions.
65. At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice is the worst
Human beings can be good, although not all apply honesty and kindness.
66. It is best to leave life like a party, neither thirsty nor drunk
Life must be lived slowly but surely.
67. All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire.
There is no destination, but what happens is a series of circumstances.
68. The wise man does not needlessly expose himself to danger, for there are few things that he cares enough about; but he is willing, in great crises, to even give his life, knowing that under certain circumstances it is not worth living
Wisdom is part of many of Aristotle's reflections.
69. We acquire a particular quality by acting in a particular way
A quote with a touch of irony that speaks of the particular way of acting.
70. There is no great genius without a mix of madness
In madness creativity can be born.
71. A good style should have an air of novelty and at the same time hide your art
The novelty, without a doubt, is the most valued.
72. True wisdom is in acknowledging your own ignorance
Knowing that we are not perfect is a great step towards becoming wise.
73. Good style must be, above all, clear
A clear style is, without a doubt, the best option.
74. Pleasure at work puts perfection at work
When we love what we do, we work so much better.
75. In a democracy the poor will have more power than the rich, because there are more of them, and the will of the majority is supreme
In authentic democracy the people rule.
76. In poverty and other misfortunes of life, true friends are a safe haven
True friends are there for the good and the bad.
77. Democracy is when the destitute, and not the men of property, are the rulers
In a real democracy the money does not send.
78. Great men are always of an originally melancholic nature
Melancholy is part of the human essence.
79. The goal of the wise is not to ensure pleasure, but to avoid pain
Pain is where true learning is born. That is, wisdom.
80. The law is reason free of passion
The law is made with the head more than with the heart.
81. Those who know, do. Those who understand, teach
Those who are experts in something have the ability to teach.
82. In all things in nature there is something wonderful
Nature, although sometimes we do not see it, is magnificent.
83. To perceive is to suffer
If we expose ourselves to the world, we may suffer. This is what makes us grow.
84. I count as braver the one who surpasses his wishes than the one who surpasses his enemies
The person who really finds himself is virtuous.
85. Victory has many mothers and defeat is an orphan
When things are going well for us, everyone loves us. When things go wrong, nobody pays attention to us.
86. He who is unable to live in society or he who has no need because he has enough with himself, must be either a beast or a god
Society has an irritating habit of judging everything we do.
87. Character can almost be called the most effective means of persuasion.
When we disagree, let's try to impose our ideas.
88. A true friend is a soul in two bodies
The true love friend lives inside two souls.
89. Love is made up of a soul inhabiting two bodies
True love and friendship have great meaning for us.
90. The only exclusive sign of insight is the power to teach
Only if we are experts in something can we teach others.
91. Change is always sweet
This philosopher understood that what is normal is change, modification and evolution.
92. The purpose of work is leisure
Aristotle saw work as something that is used simply to be able to live through one's own means.
93. The secret of humor is surprise
A reflection on the main ingredient of humor.
94. Nature never does anything in vain
The natural is the spontaneous, what simply is.
95. Bad men are full of regret
An appreciation on the minds of morally bad people.
96. Wit is polite insolence
A clever phrase about human relationships.
97. All paid jobs degrade and absorb the soul
Aristotle was a strongly moralistic philosopher, and this was reflected in his beliefs about work.
98. Philosophy can make people sick
Intellectual growth can have its risks.
99. The soul never thinks without a mental image
This is the conception that Aristotle had of thought.
100. Who is not a good follower cannot be a good leader
Aristotle believed in a learning process based on humility.