The Golden Mean
- “what is aristotle's golden mean”
- “is the golden mean aristotle's phrase”
- “doctrine of the mean explained”
- “does moderation apply to everything”
:: COMPARE ::
The golden meanvsModeration
The short answer
Moderation prescribes less of everything. The doctrine of the mean prescribes the right amount, which in some cases is a great deal — courage is a mean, and the mean for a soldier under fire is not half-bravery. Confusing the two turns a doctrine about calibration into a doctrine about restraint.
Side by side
| Aspect | The golden mean | Moderation |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribes | The right amount | Less |
| Can be a lot | Yes | No |
| Depends on situation | Entirely | No |
| Universal | No — some acts excluded | Assumed |
Which one you meant
Readers who land here meaning The Golden Mean rather than Moderation are usually searching for phrases like “what is aristotle's golden mean”, “is the golden mean aristotle's phrase”, “doctrine of the mean explained”.
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