---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A rational nature admits of nothing but…"
description: "\"A rational nature admits of nothing but what is serviceable to the rest of mankind.\" — Marcus Aurelius"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84b/marcus-aurelius-139_human-nature_a-rational-nature-admits-of-nothing-but_317623.jpg"
---

#  A rational nature admits of nothing but what is…

![“A rational nature admits of nothing but what is serviceable to the rest of mankind.” quote by Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84b/marcus-aurelius-139_human-nature_a-rational-nature-admits-of-nothing-but_317623.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84b/marcus-aurelius-139_human-nature_a-rational-nature-admits-of-nothing-but_317623.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84b/marcus-aurelius-139_human-nature_a-rational-nature-admits-of-nothing-but_317623.jpg)

> “A rational nature admits of nothing but what is serviceable to the rest of mankind.”

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Human reason should serve humanity, not personal whims.

**In simple terms:** Reason exists to help others.

Key Takeaway

Use rationality for collective good.

Themes

philosophy humanism reason

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

- policy making
- education
- community leadership

Key Concepts

stoicism ethical rationalism social duty

Questions to Reflect On

- How does your reasoning serve others?
- What limits exist for rational service?

A Different Perspective

Individual benefit may conflict with collective needs.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Admits Serviceable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admits-serviceable-3000570/) [Human nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nature Admits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-admits-3000569/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Rational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational/) [Rational Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rational-nature-2931943/) [Rest Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rest-mankind-1246443/)

## Related quotes

> [Nature admits no lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/nature-admits-no-lie/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [We are so accustomed to the apparently rational nature of our world that we can scarcely imagine anything happening that cannot be explained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/we-are-so-accustomed-to-the-apparently-rational-nature-of-our-world/)

[Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/)

> [Nature admits no hierarchy of beauty or usefulness or importance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/nature-admits-no-hierarchy-of-beauty-or-usefulness-or-importance/)

[Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/)

> [Man can sin against nature in two ways. First, when he sins against his specific rational nature, acting contrary to reason. In this sense,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/man-can-sin-against-nature-in-two-ways-first-when-he-sins-against-his/)

[Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/)

> [“If happiness is the highest good of a rational nature, and if what can be taken from you in any way cannot be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boethius/if-happiness-is-the-highest-good-of-a-rational-nature-and-if-what-can/)

[Boethius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boethius/)

> [The Indian's intercourse with Nature is at least such as admits of the greatest independence of each.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-indian-s-intercourse-with-nature-is-at-least-such-as-admits-of/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“You're neither unnatural, nor abominable, nor mad; you're as much a part of what people call nature as anyone else; only you're unexplained as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radclyffe-hall/you-re-neither-unnatural-nor-abominable-nor-mad-you-re-as-much-a-part-3/)

[Radclyffe Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radclyffe-hall/)

> [When you set yourself up to be apart from rest of mankind, you're in danger of crashing further than they ever could. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-hawthorne/when-you-set-yourself-up-to-be-apart-from-rest-of-mankind-you-re-in/)

[Nigel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-hawthorne/)

> [But I fear that I also underestimate the stupidity of the rest of mankind. Are we absolutely sure that we ought to win this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/but-i-fear-that-i-also-underestimate-the-stupidity-of-the-rest-of/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [ We must endeavor to forget our former love for them \[the British\] and to hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/we-must-endeavor-to-forget-our-former-love-for-them-the-british-and/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [“I will never be able to find myself if I isolate myself from the rest of mankind as if I were a different kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/i-will-never-be-able-to-find-myself-if-i-isolate-myself-from-the-rest/)

[Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/)

> [Retire into thyself. The rational principle which rules has this nature, that it is content with itself when it does what is just, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/retire-into-thyself-the-rational-principle-which-rules-has-this/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [“...you’d be amazed at the grand tales the human brain will throw up to make sense of something nonsensical.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-hardy/you-d-be-amazed-at-the-grand-tales-the-human-brain-will-throw-up-to/)

[Dianna Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-hardy/)

> [Rational thinking is an important aspect of human nature, but we have imagination, we have ambition, we have irrational fear, we are swayed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/rational-thinking-is-an-important-aspect-of-human-nature-but-we-have/)

[Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/)

> [In work we act under the predominant motive of external, rational necessities; in pleasure, under the predominant motive of other, equally general necessities of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolay-chernyshevsky/in-work-we-act-under-the-predominant-motive-of-external-rational/)

[Nikolay Chernyshevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolay-chernyshevsky/)

## More by Marcus Aurelius

> [A man should be upright, not kept upright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/a-man-should-be-upright-not-kept-upright/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [Everything is mere opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/everything-is-mere-opinion/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [If any man has done wrong, the harm is his own. But perhaps he has not done wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/if-any-man-has-done-wrong-the-harm-is-his-own-but-perhaps-he-has-not/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [Pray look upon the plants and birds, the ants, spiders, and bees, and you will see them all exerting their nature, and busy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/pray-look-upon-the-plants-and-birds-the-ants-spiders-and-bees-and-you/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [“We should remark the grace and fascination that there is even in the incidentals of Nature's processes.. When a loaf of bread,. for instance,.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/we-should-remark-the-grace-and-fascination-that-there-is-even-in-the/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [My true Self is free. I cannot be contained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/my-true-self-is-free-i-cannot-be-contained/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/the-best-revenge-is-to-be-unlike-him-who-performed-the-injury/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [Nothing befalls any man which he is not fitted to endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/nothing-befalls-any-man-which-he-is-not-fitted-to-endure/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [Adorn thyself with simplicity and with indifference towards the things which lie between virtue and vice. Love mankind. Follow God. The poet says that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/adorn-thyself-with-simplicity-and-with-indifference-towards-the/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [Let it be your constant method to look into the design of people's actions, and see what they would be at, as often as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/let-it-be-your-constant-method-to-look-into-the-design-of-people-s/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [“Our life is a warfare, and a mere pilgrimage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/our-life-is-a-warfare-and-a-mere-pilgrimage/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [“If therefore it be a thing external that causes thy grief, know, that it is not that properly that doth cause it, but thine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/if-therefore-it-be-a-thing-external-that-causes-thy-grief-know-that/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [Frightened of change? But what can exist without it? What's closer to nature's heart? Can you take a hot bath and leave the firewood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/frightened-of-change-but-what-can-exist-without-it-what-s-closer-to/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [We are too much accustomed to attribute to a single cause that which is the product of several, and the majority of our controversies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/we-are-too-much-accustomed-to-attribute-to-a-single-cause-that-which/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [“At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself, "I have to go to work - as a human being. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/at-dawn-when-you-have-trouble-getting-out-of-bed-tell-yourself-i-have/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

[Explore all 1,138 Marcus Aurelius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

## More Human nature quotes

> [There is no human nature, since there is no god to conceive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/there-is-no-human-nature-since-there-is-no-god-to-conceive-it/)

[Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/)

> [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/)

[William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/)

> [A Light exists in Spring Not present on the Year At any other period - When March is scarcely here A Color stands abroad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/a-light-exists-in-spring-not-present-on-the-year-at-any-other-period/)

[Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/)

> [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/)

[John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/)

> [“The aristocratic interiority is centered on the higher mind, the mens, the ajna chakra, the seat of intellect and intuition that commands the lower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-evola/the-aristocratic-interiority-is-centered-on-the-higher-mind-the-mens/)

[Julius Evola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-evola/)

> [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/)

[Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/)

> [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/)

[David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/)

> [Nothing brings out the lower traits of human nature like office-seeking. Men of good character and impulses are betrayed by it into all sorts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutherford-b-hayes/nothing-brings-out-the-lower-traits-of-human-nature-like-office/)

[Rutherford B. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutherford-b-hayes/)

> [Selfishness is one of the principal fruits of the corruption of human nature; and it is obvious that selfishness disposes us to over-rate our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/selfishness-is-one-of-the-principal-fruits-of-the-corruption-of-human/)

[William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/)

> [Though there may be people in your life that support you and encourage you we have to realize that people are only human, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/though-there-may-be-people-in-your-life-that-support-you-and/)

[Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/)

> [“I wasn't sure which I appreciated less—the insincere concern or the genuine indifference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-graham/i-wasn-t-sure-which-i-appreciated-less-the-insincere-concern-or-the/)

[Arthur Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-graham/)

> [Time is the nervous system of narration, whether factual or fictive. If it gets confused some of the minutiae of human nature are certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenway-wescott/time-is-the-nervous-system-of-narration-whether-factual-or-fictive-if/)

[Glenway Wescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenway-wescott/)

> [“As if we didn't have enough weapons already. But that's human nature, we've always got to go one better, to increase the terror another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-f-hamilton/as-if-we-didn-t-have-enough-weapons-already-but-that-s-human-nature/)

[Peter F. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-f-hamilton/)

> [ \[Putin\] is a bully. And bullies only understand when we punch them in the nose, but we need to do that economically. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/putin-is-a-bully-and-bullies-only-understand-when-we-punch-them-in/)

[Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/)

> [“The mass of men have been forced to be gay about the little things, but sad about the big ones. Nevertheless (I offer my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/the-mass-of-men-have-been-forced-to-be-gay-about-the-little-things/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

[Browse all 3,743 Human nature quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-nature/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "A rational nature admits of nothing but what is serviceable to the rest of mankind.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Marcus Aurelius"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/a-rational-nature-admits-of-nothing-but-what-is-serviceable-to-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Human nature"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/a-rational-nature-admits-of-nothing-but-what-is-serviceable-to-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84b/marcus-aurelius-139_human-nature_a-rational-nature-admits-of-nothing-but_317623.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84b/marcus-aurelius-139_human-nature_a-rational-nature-admits-of-nothing-but_317623.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84b/marcus-aurelius-139_human-nature_a-rational-nature-admits-of-nothing-but_317623.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A rational nature admits of nothing but what is serviceable to the rest of mankind.” — Marcus Aurelius",
                "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": "Marcus Aurelius",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "A rational nature admits of nothing...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/a-rational-nature-admits-of-nothing-but-what-is-serviceable-to-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/a-rational-nature-admits-of-nothing-but-what-is-serviceable-to-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
