"Good decisions are different from science. Science seeks fixed truths, but decisions must adapt to changing situations. It is not the same as guessing, because good decisions require time and thought, while guesses are often quick and random. There are different kinds of correct thinking, but not all of them lead to wise decisions: • A clever but selfish person might plan something harmful very well. Even though their thinking is correct, they are not using wisdom for good. • A person might make the right choice but for the wrong reasons. This is still not true wisdom. • Someone might think too long about a simple choice. True wisdom is about knowing the right thing to do, at the right time, in the right way." -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg.100-101

“Philosophic wisdom is the highest kind of wisdom because it combines: 1 Scientific knowledge – Knowing universal truths. 2 Intuitive reason – Understanding first principles. Philosophic wisdom aims to grasp the biggest, most important truths. Anaxagoras and Thales were called wise. This wasn't due to practicality. Instead, they grasped deep, complex truths about the universe. However, philosophic wisdom is not the same as practical wisdom. • Philosophic wisdom seeks knowledge for its own sake. • Practical wisdom helps us make good choices in life.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 98

"Scientific knowledge helps us understand what is always true. But science needs a foundation—it must start from basic truths that cannot be proven by science itself. These first principles—the foundation of all knowledge—cannot come from: • Science – Science relies on logic to prove facts, but it must begin with basic truths that cannot be proven. • Art or practical wisdom deals with things that change. First principles are truths that do not change. So, how do we know these first truths? We understand them through intuitive reason (nous). This means we can quickly recognize basic truths without needing proof." -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 97

“Practical wisdom (phronesis) helps people make smart choices in life. Practical wisdom differs from science. Science is about facts. Practical wisdom considers the circumstances. How is practical wisdom different from art? • Art is about producing something external—like a painting, a house, or a sculpture. Its value comes from the finished product. • Practical wisdom is about acting wisely in real-life situations. A good action is valuable in itself, not because it creates something tangible. Leaders like Pericles, who was from Athens, were seen as wise. They knew what was good for themselves and what benefited the whole community. Practical wisdom also requires self-control (sophrosyne). People ruled by pleasure or pain can lose sight of what truly matters. If someone lets emotions take over, they forget why they made a decision in the first place. Practical wisdom differs from art. In art, a skilled person can make deliberate mistakes. But in practical wisdom, a truly wise person would never choose poorly on purpose.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 97

"Scientific knowledge is about facts that never change. That’s what makes it different from opinions, which can be wrong or change over time. Because science is based on facts, it is permanent and unchanging. It must also be something we can learn and teach, which happens in two ways: • Induction – Looking at examples and figuring out general rules. • Deduction – Using general rules to make conclusions. Scientific knowledge can be defined as: 'A way of thinking that helps us understand and explain the truth.' " -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 95

"The Five Intellectual Virtues There are five main ways our mind finds truth: 1. Art (Techne) – Knowing how to make things. 2. Scientific Knowledge (Episteme) – Knowing facts that always stay the same. 3. Practical Wisdom (Phronesis) – Knowing how to make good choices. 4. Philosophic Wisdom (Sophia) – The deepest kind of wisdom. 5. Intuitive Reason (Nous) – The skill to grasp simple truths right away. We don’t include opinions because they can be wrong. Real intellectual virtues must lead to the truth." -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 94

"The soul contains two kinds of virtues. First, there are moral virtues, such as courage and self-control. Then, there are intellectual virtues, which aid in wise thinking. Thinking vs. Doing Everything has a purpose, and the purpose of thinking is to find the truth. But different types of thinking do this in different ways: • Scientific thinking looks for truth about things that are always the same. • Practical thinking looks for truth that helps us make good choices. Good decisions come from two things: clear thinking and good desires. Moral virtue helps us want the right things, while intellectual virtue helps us think correctly. Together, they lead to good choices. But thinking alone doesn’t make things happen—only practical thinking leads to action. Even when we create things, we are aiming toward an end goal. But the highest goal isn’t just making things—it’s doing good actions. That’s why we say: 'A good choice is when reason and desire work together.' Also, we can’t choose things that have already happened—only things we can still control. As the poet Agathon said: 'Even the gods can’t change the past.' So while both types of thinking look for truth, they do it in different ways." -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 92-93

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"Justice is meant for people who live together and must share what is good. It is the virtue that keeps society fair and balanced." -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 80

"Justice in a society is called political justice. It only exists among free and equal people who live under laws. Laws are necessary because they: • Create clear rules for fairness. • Prevent rulers from abusing power." -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 84