Avoided Quote by Aristotle
“When you have thrown a stone, you cannot afterwards bring it back again, but nevertheless you are responsible for having taken up the stone and flung it, for the origin of the act was within you. Similarly the unjust and profligate might at the outset have avoided becoming so, and therefore they are so voluntarily, although when they have become unjust and profligate it is no longer open to them not to be so.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Nicomachean Ethics, 4th century BC
Responsibility lies in the origin of actions; once done, you cannot undo it, but you own the choice that led to it.
In simple terms: You own the cause of your actions, even if you can’t reverse them.
Key Takeaway
Accept and learn from the choices you make.
Themes
responsibility
ethics
choice
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- personal decisions
- legal judgments
- leadership accountability
Key Concepts
moral agency
volition
consequences
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you assess the intent behind your actions?
- Can you change the impact after the fact?
A Different Perspective
Even if you cannot reverse an act, you may still be judged for the intent behind it.
