--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man has been called a rational being, but…" description: "\"Man has been called a rational being, but rationality is a matter of choice-and the alternative his nature offers him is: rational being or suicidal an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/anonymous-1_accepted_man-has-been-called-a-rational-being-but_2691032.jpg" --- # Man has been called a rational being, but rationality is a… ![“Man has been called a rational being, but rationality is a matter of choice-and the alternative his nature offers him is: rational being or suicidal animal. Man has to be man-by choice; he has to hold his life as a value-by choice; he has to learn to sustain it-by choice; he has to discover the…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/anonymous-1_accepted_man-has-been-called-a-rational-being-but_2691032.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/anonymous-1_accepted_man-has-been-called-a-rational-being-but_2691032.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/anonymous-1_accepted_man-has-been-called-a-rational-being-but_2691032.jpg) > “Man has been called a rational being, but rationality is a matter of choice-and the alternative his nature offers him is: rational being or suicidal animal. Man has to be man-by choice; he has to hold his life as a value-by choice; he has to learn to sustain it-by choice; he has to discover the values it requires and practice his virtues-by choice. A code of values accepted by choice is a code of morality.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rationality is a choice; embracing life’s value requires deliberate moral decisions. **In simple terms:** Choosing rationality defines humanity. Key Takeaway Choose values consciously. Themes ethics choice human nature Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal decision‑making - leadership - education Key Concepts philosophy psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What values guide your daily choices? - How do you confront existential doubt? A Different Perspective Moral choices can be ambiguous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accepted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepted/) [Alternatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alternatives/) [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/code/) [Code Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/code-morality-1405852/) [Man Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-choice-705044/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Offers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offers/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational/) [Rational Rationality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational-rationality-1771036/) [Rationality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationality/) [Rationality Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationality-matter-1771037/) [Suicidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suicidal/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [Man has been called a rational being, but rationality is a matter of choice... 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We do not punish the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-landay/free-will-is-as-important-to-the-law-as-it-is-to-religion-or-any/) [William Landay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-landay/) > [Honesty and interest are as intimately connected in the public as in the private code of morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/honesty-and-interest-are-as-intimately-connected-in-the-public-as-in/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I would say I am very much more interested in ethics than in code/ morality. I think it's in this way that one avoids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-marshall/i-would-say-i-am-very-much-more-interested-in-ethics-than-in-code/) [Richard Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-marshall/) > [The destiny of the human race is to widen the gap separating it from the lower races of animals. 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Or what if the virtues you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/it-is-easy-enough-to-say-be-true-to-your-values-but-what-if-your/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [To whatever degree he may have desacralized the world, the man who has made his choice in favor of a profane life never succeeds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mircea-eliade/to-whatever-degree-he-may-have-desacralized-the-world-the-man-who-has/) [Mircea Eliade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mircea-eliade/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. 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I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Accepted quotes > [Merkel has realized that the euro is not working, but she cannot change the narrative she has created because that narrative has caught the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/merkel-has-realized-that-the-euro-is-not-working-but-she-cannot/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Greatness is not guarding yourself from people. 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