The Types of Life

We often call the “life” of a person thatupon which he is most intent and in which he finds the greatestdelight. Of one man, we say that his life is art; of another,study; of another, travel, and so on. Now, some men are especiallybent upon the contemplation of truth; others are givenwholeheartedly to external activity. Thus, a person’s life maybe described as contemplative or as active.

Just as the intellect is speculative orcontemplative in knowing truth about things, and practicalor active in its grasp of what one is to do, so lifeitself is suitably classified as the contemplative life and theactive life.