Literary notes about aptitude (AI summary)
Literary authors employ the term "aptitude" to denote an inherent natural ability or talent that predisposes individuals to excel in a particular field, whether it be in martial endeavors [1, 2, 3], intellectual pursuits [4, 5, 6], or creative expression [7, 8, 9]. In some works, this quality is presented as an indispensable requirement for mastering complex skills, such as language or the arts [10, 11, 12], while in others it shapes the character's capability to navigate challenging or metaphorical terrains, ranging from military command to metaphysical inquiry [13, 14, 15]. Overall, the word is shaped by context—sometimes highlighting innate promise and other times serving as a measure of one's potential to overcome obstacles or engage meaningfully with the world [16, 17, 18].
- In War, as in all matters of skill, there is a certain natural aptitude required which is called talent.
— from On War by Carl von Clausewitz - The art of war cannot be learned in a day, and there must be a natural aptitude for military duties.
— from The Republic of Plato by Plato - At the same time, it is not to be denied that such men have a certain peculiar aptitude for War, on account of their constant equanimity.
— from On War by Carl von Clausewitz - Turgot said, "He that has never doubted the existence of matter, may be assured he has no aptitude for metaphysical inquiries."
— from Nature by Ralph Waldo Emerson - Clever men are distinguished from others by their greater or less aptitude for the comparison of ideas and the discovery of relations between them.
— from Emile by Jean-Jacques Rousseau - The production of the aptitude of a rational being for arbitrary purposes in general (consequently in his freedom) is culture .
— from Kant's Critique of Judgement by Immanuel Kant - Evidently she had great natural aptitude for her work.
— from My Ántonia by Willa Cather - She handled her brushes with a certain ease and freedom which came, not from long and close acquaintance with them, but from a natural aptitude.
— from The Awakening, and Selected Short Stories by Kate Chopin - It is a sad pity; for she has so much genius, reads very tolerably, has great natural aptitude, and plays with great feeling.
— from The Letters of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart — Volume 01 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - " So Helen Keller's aptitude for language is her whole mental aptitude, turned to language because of its extraordinary value to her.
— from The Story of My Life by Helen Keller - Helen Keller is supposed to have a special aptitude for languages.
— from The Story of My Life by Helen Keller - As I have said before, I had no aptitude for mathematics; the different points were not explained to me as fully as I wished.
— from The Story of My Life by Helen Keller - " It has been observed in a former paper, that "the true test of a good government is its aptitude and tendency to produce a good administration.
— from The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton and John Jay and James Madison - There will be some warlike natures 375 who have this aptitude—dogs keen of scent, swift of foot to pursue, and strong of limb to fight.
— from The Republic of Plato by Plato - But do we pretend to be acquainted with the nature of the human soul and the nature of an idea, or the aptitude of the one to produce the other?
— from An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding by David Hume - I hope, my dear Charlie, that under my auspices you will become a model lover—your aptitude has already proved in several ways.
— from The Romance of Lust: A classic Victorian erotic novel by Anonymous - This great nation, the first in the world, [6] has the same kind of aptitude for love as for intellectual achievements.
— from On Love by Stendhal - The important thing in life is to have a great aim, and to possess the aptitude and perseverance to attain it.—GOETHE.
— from Pushing to the Front by Orison Swett Marden
