Aristotle Quote by Charles Duhigg
““Aristotle wrote in Nicomachean Ethics, “hold that it is by nature that people become good, others that it is by habit, and others that it is by instruction.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle, 4th century BC
Aristotle distinguishes three sources of moral development: nature, habit, and instruction, suggesting that virtue can arise from innate disposition, repeated practice, or teaching.
In simple terms: People become good through nature, habit, or teaching.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate good habits and seek wise instruction.
Themes
ethics
virtue
development
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- parenting
- education
- personal growth
- organizational culture
Key Concepts
nature
habit
instruction
moral psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What source shapes your moral choices most?
- How can instruction reinforce good habits?
A Different Perspective
Habits may be hard to change without supportive environment.
![“If they [Plato and Aristotle] wrote about politics it was as if to lay down rules for a madhouse. And if they pretended to treat it as something really important it was because they knew that the madmen they were talking to believed themselves to be kings and emperors. They humoured these beliefs…” quote by Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/eb5/blaise-pascal-167_belief_if-they-plato-and-aristotle-wrote-about_343108.jpg)
