Advantage Quote by Aristotle
“It has been handed down in mythical form from earliest times to posterity, that there are gods, and that the divine (Deity) compasses all nature. All beside this has been added, after the mythical style, for the purpose of persuading the multitude, and for the interests of the laws, and the advantage of the state.”
About This Quote
Source Treat: Metaphysics, Book I, 4th century BC
Aristotle critiques how religion is used to legitimize law and state power, suggesting divine claims serve political ends.
In simple terms: Religion is used to support law and state power.
Key Takeaway
Question the political use of divine authority.
Themes
politics
religion
power
law
state
mythology
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- government policy
- public discourse
- legal justification
- statecraft
Key Concepts
theocratic legitimacy
social control
Questions to Reflect On
- How do societies balance faith and governance?
- Can moral authority exist without divine justification?
A Different Perspective
The claim may oversimplify complex historical motivations.
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
