Character Quote by Michael J. Sandel
““Moral excellence does not consist in aggregating pleasures and pains but in aligning them, so that we delight in noble things and take pain in base ones. Happiness is not a state of mind but a way of being, “an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue.””
About This Quote
Source Philosophy book: Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?, 2009
Moral excellence aligns pleasure and pain with virtue, so we enjoy noble actions and feel discomfort from base ones, making happiness a virtuous activity.
In simple terms: Virtue aligns joy with good deeds, making happiness a moral practice.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate virtue to experience true happiness.
Themes
ethics
virtue
happiness
Mood
thoughtful
reflective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- decision making
- education
- leadership
- personal development
Key Concepts
Aristotelian ethics
moral philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- What virtues guide your choices?
- How do you handle pain from unethical actions?
A Different Perspective
Balancing pleasure and pain can be socially complex.
![“The virtues [moral excellence] therefore are engendered in us neither by nature nor yet in violation of nature; nature gives us the capacity to receive them, and this capacity is brought to maturity by habit.” quote by Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/653/aristotle-78_capacity_the-virtues-moral-excellence-therefore-a_1076391.jpg)
![“[T]he commitment to a framework neutral among ends can be seen as a kind of value [...] but its value consists precisely in its refusal to affirm a preferred way of life or conception of the good.” quote by Michael J. Sandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/538/michael-j-sandel-32311_good-life_t-he-commitment-to-a-framework-neutral-a_64582.jpg)
