---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man's greatest privilege is the…"
description: "\"“Man's greatest privilege is the discussion of virtue\" Socrates in The Apology.”\" — Socrates"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/socrates-405_apology_man-s-greatest-privilege-is-the-discussi_1413879.jpg"
---

#  Man's greatest privilege is the discussion of virtue"…

![“Man's greatest privilege is the discussion of virtue&quot; Socrates in The Apology.” quote by Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/socrates-405_apology_man-s-greatest-privilege-is-the-discussi_1413879.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/socrates-405_apology_man-s-greatest-privilege-is-the-discussi_1413879.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/socrates-405_apology_man-s-greatest-privilege-is-the-discussi_1413879.jpg)

> ““Man's greatest privilege is the discussion of virtue" Socrates in The Apology.””

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

## About This Quote

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

The highest honor is to engage in moral discourse, reflecting on virtue and ethics.

**In simple terms:** Discussing virtue is a great honor.

Key Takeaway

Seek moral dialogue.

Themes

philosophy ethics dialogue

Mood

thoughtful inspirational

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- education
- public debate
- personal growth

Key Concepts

Socratic method virtue ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we make virtue discussions practical?
- What prevents people from engaging in moral dialogue?

A Different Perspective

Virtue discussion can be abstract and inaccessible.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Apology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apology/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Dialogues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dialogues/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/)

## Related quotes

> [The greatest privilege and greatest duty for any man is to be happily married, and no other form of success or service, for either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-greatest-privilege-and-greatest-duty-for-any-man-is-to-be-happily/)

[Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/)

> [Access to the Vedas is the greatest privilege this century may claim over all previous centuries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/access-to-the-vedas-is-the-greatest-privilege-this-century-may-claim/)

[J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/)

> [The greatest privilege I have on earth is to love. Every good thing is in Love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/the-greatest-privilege-i-have-on-earth-is-to-love-every-good-thing-is/)

[Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/)

> [“If love is the greatest gift of all-and I believe it is- then the greatest privilege of all is to be able to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schroff/if-love-is-the-greatest-gift-of-all-and-i-believe-it-is-then-the/)

[Laura Schroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schroff/)

> [The Vedas are the greatest privilege of this century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/the-vedas-are-the-greatest-privilege-of-this-century/)

[J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/)

> [“It's a mother's greatest privilege to give birth, to raise a child. But a woman's greatest honor is to look at her son with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-may-warren/it-s-a-mother-s-greatest-privilege-to-give-birth-to-raise-a-child-but/)

[Susan May Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-may-warren/)

> [I am paid to dive deeper into my own humanity and do that with other people in collaboration... so that, in and of itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/i-am-paid-to-dive-deeper-into-my-own-humanity-and-do-that-with-other/)

[Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/)

> [It has been the greatest privilege of my adult and public life to have served, for 32 years, as the Member of Parliament for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/it-has-been-the-greatest-privilege-of-my-adult-and-public-life-to/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [“Knowing and loving God is our greatest privilege, and being known and loved is God’s greatest pleasure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/knowing-and-loving-god-is-our-greatest-privilege-and-being-known-and/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [The greatest privilege of a human life is to become a midwife to the awakening of the Soul in another person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-greatest-privilege-of-a-human-life-is-to-become-a-midwife-to-the/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [Knowing God is your single greatest privilege as a Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/knowing-god-is-your-single-greatest-privilege-as-a-christian/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The greatest privilege God gives to you is the freedom to approach Him at any time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-l-duewel/the-greatest-privilege-god-gives-to-you-is-the-freedom-to-approach/)

[Wesley L Duewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-l-duewel/)

> [Serving in the United States Senate has been the greatest privilege of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-heller/serving-in-the-united-states-senate-has-been-the-greatest-privilege/)

[Dean Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-heller/)

> [What I wanted was to be allowed to do the thing in the world that I did best - which I believed then and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbi-fields/what-i-wanted-was-to-be-allowed-to-do-the-thing-in-the-world-that-i/)

[Debbi Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbi-fields/)

> [Being born on the earth is the highest honor and greatest privilege. To be alive as human beings gives us the chance to pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/being-born-on-the-earth-is-the-highest-honor-and-greatest-privilege/)

[Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/)

## More by Socrates

> [By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/by-all-means-marry-if-you-get-a-good-wife-you-ll-be-happy-if-you-get/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [Falling down is not a failure. Failure comes when you stay where you have fallen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/falling-down-is-not-a-failure-failure-comes-when-you-stay-where-you/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [Do not go through life like leaf blown from here to there believing whatever you are told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/do-not-go-through-life-like-leaf-blown-from-here-to-there-believing/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [If the whole world depends on today's youth, I can't see the world lasting another 100 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-the-whole-world-depends-on-today-s-youth-i-can-t-see-the-world/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [“I only know, I know nothing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-only-know-i-know-nothing/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-cannot-teach-anybody-anything-i-can-only-make-them-think/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [If measure and symmetry are absent from any composition in any degree, ruin awaits both the ingredients and the composition... Measure and symmetry are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-measure-and-symmetry-are-absent-from-any-composition-in-any-degree/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [Marry a good woman, and be happy the rest of your life. Or, marry a bad, and become a good philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/marry-a-good-woman-and-be-happy-the-rest-of-your-life-or-marry-a-bad/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [“For the fear of death is indeed the pretense of wisdom, and not real wisdom, being a pretense of knowing the unknown; and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/for-the-fear-of-death-is-indeed-the-pretense-of-wisdom-and-not-real/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [There is no difference between knowledge and temperance; for he who knows what is good and embraces it, who knows what is bad and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/there-is-no-difference-between-knowledge-and-temperance-for-he-who/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [Besides, it is a shame to let yourself grow old through neglect before seeing how you can develop the maximum beauty and strength of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/besides-it-is-a-shame-to-let-yourself-grow-old-through-neglect-before/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [The greatest blessing granted to mankind come by way of madness, which is a divine gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-greatest-blessing-granted-to-mankind-come-by-way-of-madness-which/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [I desire only to know the truth, and to live as well as I can...And, to the utmost of my power, I exhort all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-desire-only-to-know-the-truth-and-to-live-as-well-as-i-can-and-to/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [So you would rather suffer an injustice than do an injustice?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/so-you-would-rather-suffer-an-injustice-than-do-an-injustice/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [The end of life is to be like unto God; and the soul following God, will be like unto Him; He being the beginning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/the-end-of-life-is-to-be-like-unto-god-and-the-soul-following-god/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

[Explore all 579 Socrates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

## More Apology quotes

> [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/)

[Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/)

> [Apologies are not pass/fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/apologies-are-not-pass-fail/)

[Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/)

> [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/)

Elizabeth Tambascio

> [It's hard to say sorry when It's really your fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakii-retondo/it-s-hard-to-say-sorry-when-it-s-really-your-fault/)

[Rakii Retondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakii-retondo/)

> [“A lady need never apologize. ~ Joseph de Bonaparte (Brother of Napoleon)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-pataki/a-lady-need-never-apologize-joseph-de-bonaparte-brother-of-napoleon/)

Allison Pataki

> [And apologies, once postponed, become harder and harder to make, and finally impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/and-apologies-once-postponed-become-harder-and-harder-to-make-and/)

[Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/)

> [In the formation of such a government, it is not only the right, but the indispensable duty of every citizen to examine the principles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/in-the-formation-of-such-a-government-it-is-not-only-the-right-but/)

[Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/)

> [Apologizing does not always mean you are wrong, it just means that value your relationships more than your ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinier-bennett/apologizing-does-not-always-mean-you-are-wrong-it-just-means-that/)

[Chinier Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinier-bennett/)

> [If I can get enough signatures, to present an apology to slavery, I will present it to the President. The House of Representatives has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/if-i-can-get-enough-signatures-to-present-an-apology-to-slavery-i/)

[Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/)

> [“I don’t care if you’ve changed. I don’t care who you are now. I don’t need or want your explanations because what you did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-young/i-don-t-care-if-you-ve-changed-i-don-t-care-who-you-are-now-i-don-t/)

[Samantha Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-young/)

> [I never said Kristen ruined my wedding. At the time, when a million other things had fallen apart that day, I felt like she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scheana-shay/i-never-said-kristen-ruined-my-wedding-at-the-time-when-a-million/)

[Scheana Shay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scheana-shay/)

> [The greatest form of maturity is at harvest time. This is when we must learn how to reap without complaint if the amounts are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-greatest-form-of-maturity-is-at-harvest-time-this-is-when-we-must/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [“It's clear he still feels something, but what? Is the whole reason he made such a big deal about wanting to talk to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-heywood/it-s-clear-he-still-feels-something-but-what-is-the-whole-reason-he/)

[Carey Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-heywood/)

> [I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-wasn-t-saying-whatever-they-re-saying-i-was-saying-i-m-sorry-i-said/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [For every person who atones, a hundred others find regret sufficient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/for-every-person-who-atones-a-hundred-others-find-regret-sufficient/)

[Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/)

[Browse all 1,300 Apology quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apology/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Man's greatest privilege is the discussion of virtue\" Socrates in The Apology.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Socrates"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/man-s-greatest-privilege-is-the-discussion-of-virtue-socrates-in-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Apology"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/man-s-greatest-privilege-is-the-discussion-of-virtue-socrates-in-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/socrates-405_apology_man-s-greatest-privilege-is-the-discussi_1413879.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/socrates-405_apology_man-s-greatest-privilege-is-the-discussi_1413879.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e7/socrates-405_apology_man-s-greatest-privilege-is-the-discussi_1413879.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Man's greatest privilege is the discussion of virtue\" Socrates in The Apology.” — Socrates",
                "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": "Socrates",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Man's greatest privilege is the discussion...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/man-s-greatest-privilege-is-the-discussion-of-virtue-socrates-in-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/man-s-greatest-privilege-is-the-discussion-of-virtue-socrates-in-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
