--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since the branch of philosophy on which…" description: "\"Since the branch of philosophy on which we are at present engaged differs from the others in not being a subject of merely intellectual interest — I me..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/aristotle-78_branches_since-the-branch-of-philosophy-on-which_1889747.png" --- # Since the branch of philosophy on which we are at present… ![“Since the branch of philosophy on which we are at present engaged differs from the others in not being a subject of merely intellectual interest — I mean we are not concerned to know what goodness essentially is, but how we are to become good men, for this alone gives the study its practical value…” quote by Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/aristotle-78_branches_since-the-branch-of-philosophy-on-which_1889747.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/aristotle-78_branches_since-the-branch-of-philosophy-on-which_1889747.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/aristotle-78_branches_since-the-branch-of-philosophy-on-which_1889747.png) > “Since the branch of philosophy on which we are at present engaged differs from the others in not being a subject of merely intellectual interest — I mean we are not concerned to know what goodness essentially is, but how we are to become good men, for this alone gives the study its practical value — we must apply our minds to the solution of the problems of conduct.” [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. Philosophy should focus on practical ethics—how to become good—rather than abstract definitions of goodness, making it a guide for conduct. **In simple terms:** Philosophy is about becoming good. Key Takeaway Apply ethical theory to daily actions. Themes ethics philosophy practice Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - education - leadership - personal growth - policy making Key Concepts Moral development practical wisdom Questions to Reflect On - How can we translate moral theory into habits? - What practical steps foster goodness? A Different Perspective Abstract debate can neglect real issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Good man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [It is not therefore the business of philosophy, in our present situation in the universe, to attempt to take in at once, in one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-maclaurin/it-is-not-therefore-the-business-of-philosophy-in-our-present/) Colin Maclaurin > [A person who undertakes to grow a garden at home, by practices that will preserve rather than exploit the economy of the soil, has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/a-person-who-undertakes-to-grow-a-garden-at-home-by-practices-that/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“If we apply our minds directly and competently to the needs of the earth, then we will have begun to make fundamental and necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/if-we-apply-our-minds-directly-and-competently-to-the-needs-of-the/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [There are branches of learning and education which we must study merely with a view to leisure spent in intellectual activity, and these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/there-are-branches-of-learning-and-education-which-we-must-study/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [At first he who invented any art that went beyond the common perceptions of man was naturally admired by men, not only because there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/at-first-he-who-invented-any-art-that-went-beyond-the-common/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [First, have a definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. 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But the root supports the branches.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-branches-do-not-support-the-root-but-the-root-supports-the/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [We're the only branch of government that explains itself in writing every time itmakes a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-white/we-re-the-only-branch-of-government-that-explains-itself-in-writing/) [Byron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-white/) > [Certainly in the United States, you have a constituency in the form of the weapons laboratories, and you also have the branches of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/certainly-in-the-united-states-you-have-a-constituency-in-the-form-of/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [The impossibility of separating the nomenclature of a science from the science itself, is owing to this, that every branch of physical science must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-lavoisier/the-impossibility-of-separating-the-nomenclature-of-a-science-from/) [Antoine Lavoisier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-lavoisier/) > [ \[The judiciary is\] the least dangerous branch of our government. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-bickel/the-judiciary-is-the-least-dangerous-branch-of-our-government/) Alexander Bickel > [ For some unknown reason, this \[antiabortion\] branch of Christianity cherishes the unborn and hates the living person. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vine-deloria-jr/for-some-unknown-reason-this-antiabortion-branch-of-christianity/) [Vine Deloria Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vine-deloria-jr/) > [ \[W\]ar is a question, under our constitution, not of Executive, but of Legislative cognizance. 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McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-mclean/) Browse all 1,228 Branches quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Since the branch of philosophy on which we are at present engaged differs from the others in not being a subject of merely intellectual interest — I mean we are not concerned to know what goodness essentially is, but how we are to become good men, for this alone gives the study its practical value — we must apply our minds to the solution of the problems of conduct.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Aristotle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/since-the-branch-of-philosophy-on-which-we-are-at-present-engaged/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Branches" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/since-the-branch-of-philosophy-on-which-we-are-at-present-engaged/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/aristotle-78_branches_since-the-branch-of-philosophy-on-which_1889747.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/aristotle-78_branches_since-the-branch-of-philosophy-on-which_1889747.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcc/aristotle-78_branches_since-the-branch-of-philosophy-on-which_1889747.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Since the branch of philosophy on which we are at present engaged differs from the others in not being a…” — Aristotle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Aristotle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Since the branch of philosophy on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/since-the-branch-of-philosophy-on-which-we-are-at-present-engaged/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/since-the-branch-of-philosophy-on-which-we-are-at-present-engaged/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```