--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A state of the soul is either (1) an…" description: "\"A state of the soul is either (1) an emotion, (2) a capacity, or (3) a disposition; virtue therefore must be one of these three things.\" — Aristotle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/aristotle-78_capacity_a-state-of-the-soul-is-either-1-an-emoti_82856.png" --- # A state of the soul is either (1) an emotion, (2) a… ![“A state of the soul is either (1) an emotion, (2) a capacity, or (3) a disposition; virtue therefore must be one of these three things.” quote by Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/aristotle-78_capacity_a-state-of-the-soul-is-either-1-an-emoti_82856.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/aristotle-78_capacity_a-state-of-the-soul-is-either-1-an-emoti_82856.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/aristotle-78_capacity_a-state-of-the-soul-is-either-1-an-emoti_82856.png) > “A state of the soul is either (1) an emotion, (2) a capacity, or (3) a disposition; virtue therefore must be one of these three things.” [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Virtue is classified as an emotion, capacity, or disposition, indicating that moral character is rooted in affective, potential, and habitual aspects of the self. **In simple terms:** Virtue is a mental state type Key Takeaway Virtue aligns with emotional, potential, or habitual states Themes ethics psychology philosophy human nature character Mood contemplative analytical Type philosophical statement theoretical claim When to use this quote - moral decision‑making - personal development - education - counseling - leadership Key Concepts emotion capacity disposition virtue Practical Applications - ethical training - character education Questions to Reflect On - What determines which category a virtue belongs to? - How does this classification affect moral responsibility? A Different Perspective null ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capacity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capacity/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Disposition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disposition/) [Disposition Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disposition-virtue-1050812/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Soul Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul-emotion-1050813/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [State Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-soul-770219/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Three things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three-things/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [What the statesman is most anxious to produce is a certain moral character in his fellow citizens, namely a disposition to virtue and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/what-the-statesman-is-most-anxious-to-produce-is-a-certain-moral/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [A good disposition is a virtue in itself, and it is lasting; the burden of the years cannot depress it, and love that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/a-good-disposition-is-a-virtue-in-itself-and-it-is-lasting-the-burden/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [A change in the shape of the body creates a change in the state of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/a-change-in-the-shape-of-the-body-creates-a-change-in-the-state-of/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Louis Armstrong was about playing with soul and emotion, not about showing how technically brilliant he was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-gardot/louis-armstrong-was-about-playing-with-soul-and-emotion-not-about/) [Melody Gardot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-gardot/) > [If one has a good disposition, what other virtue is needed? 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Of the bodily desires, it is the sexual by which they are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/young-men-have-strong-passions-and-tend-to-gratify-them/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The body is at its best between the ages of thirty and thirty-five; the mind is at its best about the age of forty-nine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-body-is-at-its-best-between-the-ages-of-thirty-and-thirty-five/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The ensouled is distinguished from the unsouled by its being alive. 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