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Meditations

Marcus Aurelius

§ Section 35

Book Six

6:35

Book Subtitle: The classic from Marcus Aurelius.

Book Description: The personal notes of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. This book has influenced many throughout history from students to statesmen. It's an inside look at a brilliant and thoughtful man working on living well. The emperor and philosopher's thoughts are crucial to understand for any Stoic seeking to do their best in a complex world.

Chapter Subtitle: The substance of the universe is obedient and compliant; and the reason which governs it has in itself no cause for doing evil, for it has no malice, nor does it do evil to anything, nor is anything harmed by it.

35. Do you not see how the handicraftsmen accommodate themselves up to a certain point to those who are not skilled in their craft- nevertheless they cling to the reason (the principles) of their art and do not endure to depart from it?

Is it not strange if the architect and the physician shall have more respect to the reason (the principles) of their own arts than man to his own reason, which is common to him and the gods?