Human Experience Aristotle

I. What is the nature of the “human experience”? There are many forms of life that exist on our planet, but what distinguishes human beings from other animals? In Ancient Greek Philosophy, Aristotle argued that man alone has the qualities that make a communal, peaceful existence possible. In this essay, the term “man” will be used synonymously with the term human being or mankind. Man is described by Aristotle to be “a political animal in a greater measure than any bee or any gregarious animal”. For the Greeks, the term “polis” referred to the highest form of community and was defined by Aristotle as “an association of free men” that springs from the very nature of man and the intrinsic sense of justice that man possesses. The “polis” governs

Human beings and animals share some common traits and living structures, such as: basic needs for survival (food, water, shelter), sentience, hierarchical social structures, and communal living structures. Despite the similarities humans and animals share, only humans are capable of “logos”, or logical appeal. This gives them the ability to reflect before making decisions and use reason to concern themselves with moral implications aside from evolutionary drives. Therefore, I believe that humans hold more responsibility than any other species to uphold moral standards because of the fact that human beings have the unique ability to discern between right and wrong. How can human beings achieve this high standard of moral consideration? The word virtue means moral excellence and righteousness. Plato first discussed the “cardinal virtues” in the Republic, which can be practiced by anyone and represent the foundation for natural morality. The four principle virtues include: wisdom (or prudence), justice, temperance, and fortitude (or courage). These moral virtues are the reflection of the nature of the human soul, which all man is capable of experiencing. Aristotle defines prudence as recta ratio agibilium, which means “right reason applied to practice”. It is the virtue that allows man to thoughtfully judge right from wrong. Prudence calls man to seek counsel from others, especially of those whom he knows to have high moral standards. Justice is the virtue related to the idea of rights; it can be defined as “the constant and permanent determination to give everyone his or her rightful due”. Fortitude, or courage, is the intrinsic strength that allows man to overcome fear in the face of obstacles in order to do that which is good and moral. Temperance is the last virtue, and it is concerned with moderation in action, thought, or feeling. It is the restraint of our desires or natural instincts in an attempt to keep man from experiencing excess. Temperance is the