Q0675
“Virtue… lying in a mean” — Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics II.6)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Nicomachean Ethics II.6, 1107a (Ross translation). Theme: virtue.
English
Virtue, then, is a state of character concerned with choice, lying in a mean, i.e. the mean relative to us, this being determined by a rational principle, and by that principle by which the man of practical wisdom would determine it.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Nicomachean Ethics II.6, 1107a (Ross translation) 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
This is Ross's translation of the definition at Nicomachean Ethics II.6, and "mean" is the most misread word in it. The mean is not splitting the difference or moderation as a character trait; each virtue sits between two determinate vices — courage between rashness and cowardice, generosity between prodigality and stinginess — and "relative to us" means the right amount varies with the person and situation, as the right diet differs for Milo the wrestler and a beginner. The final clause hands the standard to the practically wise person rather than a formula, which is why Aristotle's ethics cannot be reduced to rules.
Why it matters
It gives a usable decision procedure anyway: name the two available ways of failing, then ask what someone with judgment would do in this exact case. Most bad decisions reveal themselves as one of the vices once the pair is on the table.
Concepts in this quote
- Virtue
- Virtue names excellences of character—habits of perception and action oriented toward the good.
- Character
- Character appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat character as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Aristotle. (n.d.). Virtue, then, is a state of character concerned with choice, lying in a mean, i.e. the mean relative to us, this being determined by a rational principle, and by that principle by which the man of practical wisdom would determine it. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0675
MLA: Aristotle. “Virtue, then, is a state of character concerned….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0675.
Chicago: Aristotle. “Virtue, then, is a state of character concerned….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0675.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Virtue, then, is a state of character concerned…”?
The passage is attributed to Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics II.6, 1107a (Ross translation). The archive attributes this English wording to Nicomachean Ethics II.6, 1107a (Ross translation) 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, character.