Man is the measure of all things', said the Sophist Protagora (c. 485-410 B.C.). By that he meant that the question of whether a thing is right or wrong, good or bad, must always be considered in relation to a person's needs.

Jostein Gaarder
About This Quote

Man is the measure of all things, said the Sophist Protagora (c. 485-410 B.C.). He meant that the question of whether a thing is right or wrong, good or bad, must always be considered in relation to a person's needs. This quote is a reminder that we should not judge things based on our own personal opinion but in relation to what we need and how it will benefit us in different situations.

For example: if you need to choose between whether to buy a car and a new iPhone, or to buy groceries and pay your rent, then your answer should be the latter because you must consider how it will affect you in your life. The idea is that man is not above nature but part of nature.

Source: Sophies World

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