---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Virtues are dispositions not only to act…"
description: "\"Virtues are dispositions not only to act in particular ways, but also to feel in particular ways. To act virtuously is not, as Kant was later to think,..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/alasdair-macintyre-14695_character_virtues-are-dispositions-not-only-to-act_1267270.jpg"
---

#  Virtues are dispositions not only to act in particular…

![“Virtues are dispositions not only to act in particular ways, but also to feel in particular ways. To act virtuously is not, as Kant was later to think, to act against inclination; it is to act from inclination formed by the cultivation of the virtues.” quote by Alasdair MacIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/alasdair-macintyre-14695_character_virtues-are-dispositions-not-only-to-act_1267270.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/alasdair-macintyre-14695_character_virtues-are-dispositions-not-only-to-act_1267270.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c4/alasdair-macintyre-14695_character_virtues-are-dispositions-not-only-to-act_1267270.jpg)

> “Virtues are dispositions not only to act in particular ways, but also to feel in particular ways. To act virtuously is not, as Kant was later to think, to act against inclination; it is to act from inclination formed by the cultivation of the virtues.”

[Alasdair MacIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alasdair-macintyre/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Virtues shape both actions and emotions; true virtue aligns inclination with cultivated moral habits.

**In simple terms:** Virtues guide how we act and feel.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate virtues to align feeling with action.

Themes

morality character habit philosophy

Mood

reflective inspirational

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

- personal development
- education
- leadership
- ethical decision making

Key Concepts

virtue ethics Kantian critique moral psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you nurture virtues that feel natural?
- What habits support your moral inclinations?

A Different Perspective

Virtues may conflict with societal pressures or personal desires.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Cultivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultivation/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Virtues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtues/)

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