Capable Quote by Charles Sanders Peirce
“A quality is something capable of being completely embodied. A law never can be embodied in its character as a law except by determining a habit. A quality is how something may or might have been. A law is how an endless future must continue to be.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Logic of Science", 1903
A quality is fully expressed through habit; laws describe ideal, unembodied forms that guide future behavior.
In simple terms: Qualities become habits; laws guide future.
Key Takeaway
Recognize habits as expressions of deeper principles.
Themes
philosophy
epistemology
logic
metaphysics
ethics
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal development
- legal theory
- scientific modeling
- ethical practice
Key Concepts
habit formation
law of nature
conceptual embodiment
Questions to Reflect On
- What habits embody your core values?
- How do laws shape future possibilities?
A Different Perspective
Habits may not capture the full nuance of abstract laws.
![“Perhaps [the critics are right and] the drama is played out now and Jesus is safely dead and buried. Perhaps. It is ironical and entertaining to consider that at least once in the world's history those words might have been said with complete conviction, and that was on the eve of the Resurrection.” quote by Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/467/dorothy-l-sayers-738_buried_perhaps-the-critics-are-right-and-the-dr_43252.jpg)
![“[The Community's] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it is always upon nothingness that God is pleased to rear His works. If at any day we accomplish some good here, the glory will certainly be His alone, since…” quote by Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2b8/theodore-guerin-54729_accomplish_the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give_7176.jpg)
