Q0011
“Virtues arise in us neither by nature nor contrary to nature; we…” — Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics II.1)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Nicomachean Ethics II.1. Theme: virtue.
English
Virtues arise in us neither by nature nor contrary to nature; we are fitted by nature to receive them, and are brought to completion by habit.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Nicomachean Ethics II.1 and files it under Peripatetic School. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Aristotle
Aristotle (384–322 BCE) was a Greek philosopher born in Stagira in Macedonia, the son of a court physician. At about seventeen he entered Plato’s Academy in Athens and remained associated with it until Plato’s death in 347.
Interpretation
Aristotle is positioning virtue between two errors. Not by nature, because virtues are not like the capacity to perceive, which matures on its own; not contrary to nature, because we are fitted for them and they complete us rather than distorting us. The mechanism is habituation: we become just by doing just acts, as builders become builders by building. The claim is that character is acquired, which is why early training matters so much in his account.
Why it matters
It makes practice the cause rather than the expression of character. You do not wait until you are brave to act bravely; the acting is what produces the state.
Concepts in this quote
- Virtue
- Virtue names excellences of character—habits of perception and action oriented toward the good.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Aristotle. (n.d.). Virtues arise in us neither by nature nor contrary to nature; we are fitted by nature to receive them, and are brought to completion by habit. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0011
MLA: Aristotle. “Virtues arise in us neither by nature nor….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0011.
Chicago: Aristotle. “Virtues arise in us neither by nature nor….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0011.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Virtues arise in us neither by nature nor…”?
The passage is attributed to Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics II.1. The archive attributes this English wording to Nicomachean Ethics II.1 and files it under Peripatetic School. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Aristotle mean by virtue?
Virtue ethics asks not only which acts are right, but what kind of person one becomes. Courage, justice, temperance, and wisdom are classic Western lists; Confucian ren and yi offer related but distinct vocabularies. This passage enters that discussion through virtue.