And the fact that integrity is not just a buzzword and extends even to taxes. Even if it exposes us to unnecessary scrutiny from the government we serve and the public we protect.
We tend to understand the concept of “Proof of Work” and what bullish!t fiat is.
"A self-indulgent person is bad because their principles are flawed. They think pleasure is the highest good. An incontinent person, however, still has good principles; they just struggle to follow them. That’s why incontinence, though bad, is not as bad as self-indulgence."
-The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 120
"Practical wisdom helps us act well, but the highest wisdom is about understanding the deeper meaning of life.
Saying practical wisdom is more important than philosophy would be like saying a political leader is greater than the gods just because they make decisions for people. That would be a mistake.
Both practical wisdom and philosophical wisdom hold great value. Practical wisdom helps us make good choices. Philosophical wisdom shows us the deeper truths of life."
-The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 104
Someone who can’t afford the payments on a 30-year mortgage
"Socrates, the philosopher, believed that virtues like kindness and bravery are forms of wisdom. But he wasn’t completely right—virtues aren’t just knowledge; they must be used wisely.
This is why:
• A person cannot be truly good without wisdom.
• A person cannot be truly wise without goodness.
They go hand in hand."
-The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 103
I wrote a petition on change.org today to incentivize Congress to pass a budget on time and without increasing the national debt.
Check it out at:
"Why does practical wisdom seem more important in daily life if philosophy is greater? The answer is simple:
Both types of wisdom are important.
• Practical wisdom helps us not just understand what is good, but actually do good things.
• Wisdom is about living rightly, not just knowing what is right."
-The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 101
"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
Open-water Bitcoin.
Love it.
"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
Make new laws or amend the existing ones to create the end you seek as a society
"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
"Distributive Justice: Fair Sharing Based on Merit
Justice is about fairness, but what does that really mean? Many people believe justice means equality, but that’s not always the case.
Justice is about fair balance, not just equality. It ensures that people receive what they truly deserve, based on their contributions. If two people differ in merit, treating them the same may actually be unfair.
Problems arise when:
• Equals are treated unequally.
• Unequals are treated the same.
This is where distributive justice comes in. It ensures that rewards are given fairly based on what people contribute.
In justice, fairness is about balance. People get rewards based on what they’ve contributed. This is called geometrical proportion. It means the ratio of people matches the ratio of what they receive."
-The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 80
“The Importance of Balance in Social Life
Friendliness, truthfulness, and humor are vital traits in how we connect with others.
• Friendliness is about being kind but not fake.
• Truthfulness is about being honest but not boastful.
• A good sense of humor makes life fun, but it should never be used to hurt others.
In all social situations, the best person is the one who finds the right balance - not too much and not too little of each virtue.”
-The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 75
“People admire ambitious people for their boldness and drive for greatness. They also value unambitious people for their humility. Because of this, ambition can seem good or bad, depending on the situation.
The problem is that the virtue between ambition and lack of ambition doesn’t have a clear name. That’s why people sometimes argue whether ambition is good or bad. But like all virtues, there must be a middle ground—a balanced way to pursue honor.
A person with the right amount of ambition doesn’t crave honor too much but also doesn’t ignore it when they deserve it. This balance may seem slightly ambitious or slightly unambitious at times, but it is the right way to live.”
-The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 71-72
“What Is Pride?
Pride is the virtue of recognizing one’s true worth and claiming what is rightfully deserved—neither more nor less. A truly proud person believes they deserve great things, and they actually do. A vain person asks for more than they deserve. A humble person, on the other hand, deserves greatness but won’t acknowledge it.
The proud person stands between these two extremes. They aim high but stay balanced, accepting only the honor that matches their true worth.”
-The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 69-70
“Wastefulness vs. Greed Generosity is the middle ground between wastefulness and greed:
• Wasteful people give too much and take too little.
• Greedy people take too much and give too little.”
-The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 64
No.
And the daily rates of Veteran Suicide might be a reflection of this sad reality. The Vets probably see it clearer than those who didn’t fight. It’s hard to beat back the overwhelming despair that falls over one in that position when that reality is fully seen, understood. Along with the recognition that they were party to sustaining it.
“Virtue is praiseworthy because it leads to good actions. But happiness is above praise because it is the final goal—it’s what we all aim for in life.
This makes happiness the most valuable and complete thing in the world. It is the reason why we do everything else, and it is what makes life truly fulfilling.
Virtue Helps Us Live a Happy Life
Since happiness comes from living a good life, we need to understand virtue—the qualities that make a person good. The job of a political leader is to help people become virtuous and follow good laws. That’s why great lawgivers, like those in Sparta and Crete, focused on teaching virtue.
But what kind of virtue are we talking about? Since happiness is about the soul, we need to focus on virtues of the soul, not just physical abilities or talents.
To understand this, we must first understand the soul itself.”
- The Nichomachean Ethics- For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 31-32
“Humans are social creatures, and happiness includes being part of a community. However, we must set limits—if happiness depended on the well-being of every person we know, we would never be able to define it. Happiness isn’t just one good thing among others. If it were, then adding even a small extra good would make something better than happiness. But happiness is meant to be the highest and most complete good. So, it must be something that makes life fulfilling on its own.”
-The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 24
“What Is a ‘Good Life’?
Some people think happiness comes from having fun, making money, or becoming famous. Aristotle argued that real happiness is more than just feeling pleasure. It comes from living with purpose. It’s about making good choices and being a good person. He taught that if you want to be happy, you should:
• Think carefully before making decisions.
• Find balance—not too much, not too little.
• Be kind, brave, and fair.
• Practice good habits every day.
Happiness, according to Aristotle, is not just a feeling. It’s a way of living.”
-The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg14
Happy 4th of July and may God Bless America!
And you may have to earn it too!
