Q0381
“States of character arise out of like activities.” — Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics II.1)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Nicomachean Ethics II.1. Theme: virtue.
English
States of character arise out of like activities.
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.
How to read this passage
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, practice.
Concepts in this quote
- Virtue
- Virtue names excellences of character—habits of perception and action oriented toward the good.
- Practice
- Practice is where thought becomes habit: philosophy as a way of living, training, and repeated action.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Aristotle. (n.d.). States of character arise out of like activities. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0381
MLA: Aristotle. “States of character arise out of like activities..” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0381.
Chicago: Aristotle. “States of character arise out of like activities..” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0381.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “States of character arise out of like activities.”?
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, practice.