collection of quotes by Aristotle

Here is a compilation of profound quotes from the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, showcasing his reflections on life, ethics, philosophy, and human nature:

On Knowledge and Education:

  1. “The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know.”

  2. “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”

  3. “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.”

  4. “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”

  5. “All men by nature desire knowledge.”

  6. “He who has overcome his fears will truly be free.”

On Happiness and Virtue:

  1. “Happiness depends upon ourselves.”

  2. “Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.”

  3. “Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”

  4. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

  5. “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

  6. “The good for man is an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue.”

On Ethics and Morality:

  1. “Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.”

  2. “To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.”

  3. “In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.”

  4. “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.”

  5. “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

On Politics and Society:

  1. “Man is by nature a political animal.”

  2. “The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal.”

  3. “He who cannot be a good follower cannot be a good leader.”

  4. “The law is reason, free from passion.”

  5. “Democracy arose from men’s thinking that if they are equal in any respect, they are equal absolutely.”

  6. “Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.”

On Life and Nature:

  1. “Nature does nothing in vain.”

  2. “Hope is a waking dream.”

  3. “He who cannot be a good servant will not be a good master.”

  4. “The energy of the mind is the essence of life.”

  5. “A friend to all is a friend to none.”

On Love and Friendship:

  1. “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.”

  2. “Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow-ripening fruit.”

  3. “Without friends, no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods.”

  4. “Friendship is essentially a partnership.”

On Reason and Logic:

  1. “It is not enough to win a war; it is more important to organize the peace.”

  2. “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”

  3. “We cannot learn without pain.”

Aristotle’s philosophy, akin to that of his teacher Plato, continues to shape contemporary thought across various domains, from ethics to politics, rendering his insights timeless.