"If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever"

This quote by Thomas Aquinas speaks to the concept that a captain's highest objective ought to not be to simply protect his ship, but to utilize it to its maximum capacity. Aquinas is suggesting that a captain ought to not be content with merely keeping his ship safe in port, but need to rather use it to explore and discover colonies and opportunities. He is stressing the importance of taking dangers and pressing limits in order to accomplish higher success. Aquinas is suggesting that a captain ought to not hesitate to take dangers and venture out into the unknown, as this is the only way to genuinely reach one's highest capacity. By taking dangers and pressing borders, a captain can accomplish higher success and reach his greatest goal.