Moral virtues come from habits.
They are not in us by nature, nor despite nature.
We are furnished by nature a capacity for receiving them,
and we develop them through habit.
These virtues we acquire first by exercising them.
Whatever we learn to do,
we learn by actually doing it —
men become builders by building
and harp players by playing the harp.
In the same way, by doing just acts, we become just.
By doing self-controlled acts, we become self-controlled.
And by doing brave acts, we become brave.
They are not in us by nature, nor despite nature.
We are furnished by nature a capacity for receiving them,
and we develop them through habit.
These virtues we acquire first by exercising them.
Whatever we learn to do,
we learn by actually doing it —
men become builders by building
and harp players by playing the harp.
In the same way, by doing just acts, we become just.
By doing self-controlled acts, we become self-controlled.
And by doing brave acts, we become brave.
—Aristotle (384 BC-322 BC)
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