Animal Quote by Aristotle
“There are three things that are the motives of choice and three that are the motives of avoidance; namely, the noble, the expedient, and the pleasant, and their opposites, the base, the harmful, and the painful. Now in respect of all these the good man is likely to go right and the bad to go wrong, but especially in respect of pleasure; for pleasure is common to man with the lower animals, and also it is a concomitant of all the objects of choice, since both the noble and the expedient appear to us pleasant.”
About This Quote
Source Treat: Nicomachean Ethics, Book III, 350 BC
Human actions are driven by motives of nobility, expedience, pleasure, and their opposites, guiding moral choices.
In simple terms: Choices stem from noble, practical, or pleasant motives.
Key Takeaway
Recognize underlying motives.
Themes
ethics
philosophy
human nature
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
didactic
When to use this quote
- personal decisions
- policy making
- leadership
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
virtue ethics
motivation theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What motives dominate your decisions?
- How do you balance noble and pleasant desires?
A Different Perspective
Motives can conflict, making moral clarity difficult.
