Aristotle

Aristotle Virtue can be divided into two categories: intellectual and moral. Intellectual virtues are developed by teaching and instruction. Moral virtues are developed by force of habit. Moral virtues are not naturally instilled in us; the soul is designed to receive moral virtues, but in order to develop into guiding forces they must be nurtured by habit. The soul acquires moral virtue by exercising it, just as the pianist learns to play the piano by playing it and not by thinking about it. Virtuous activity breeds virtuous character. The first thing we can say about virtuous conduct is that it is inconsistent with excess or deficiency. Any moral quality (take courage, for instance) can be present in excess (rashness) or deficiency (cowardice). In all things, virtue represents a middle ground between too much and too little. A virtuous person will react moderately to both pleasure and pain. Virtuous acts that are done accidentally are worthwhile but cannot be considered part of our examination of human virtue. In order to be fully virtuous, an act must be performed by someone who is aware of what he is doing and why he is doing it. This is particularly true if we consider that, aristotle, virtuous, book, virtue, virtues, must, moral, mean, part, opposite, one, emotions, dispositions, cowardice, soul, say, rashness, person, order, human, habit, doing, courage, way, two, things, right, represents, rather, plays, people, naturally, middle, intellectual, instance, inclined, inclinations, ground, generally, first, feelings, faculties, extreme, excess, evil, drawn, doctrine, developed, deficiency, cannot, between