In Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle frequently references the doctrine of the mean. This doctrine discusses how every behavior has a moderate behavior that stands in between two extremes. In Book II, he goes into detail on the difference between knowing something through learning and having the natural knowledge or ability. He applies this to his idea of man being “moderate” or “excellent”. Aristotle’s philosophy on the excellences of character is that ‘practice makes perfect’. The philosopher explains that the state of being excellent results “neither by nature nor contrary to nature, but because we are naturally able to receive [it] and are brought to completion by means of habituation.” (Nicomachean Ethics, 1103a25). By this …show more content…
Men have the capacity to learn certain traits, abilities, and tasks, but, “dispositions come about from activities of a similar sort” (Nicomachean Ethics, 1103b22). A man can practice in moderation until he becomes a moderate man, but he can just as easily prove himself immoderate if his actions and behaviors in various situations reflect the characteristics of an immoderate man. Aristotle returns to the builder analogy to further explain his meaning, asserting that, “good building will result in good builders, bad building in bad ones.” (Nicomachean Ethics, 1103b10-1103b11). A man can practice building and excel at it, but if he does not practice in the right way, he will not become a good builder. Another major example he uses to show how learning and experience affects a man’s disposition is that, “lawgivers make the citizens good through habituation...but those who do it badly miss their mark.” (Nicomachean Ethics. 1103b1-1103b5). Governments aim to have a good, prosperous society, but in reality, many cannot be considered “good” societies. Whether because of a corrupted system or simply failure to enforce the laws in a society as they should, most societies are not as good as they aim to be. Practice, while important for learning the right traits and abilities, does not mean lawmakers will create a perfect, lawful society through consistently enforcing the law if it
For Aristotle, happiness is defined as “an activity of soul in accordance with complete excellence... (Aristotle 1102a). This means that actions exercised through, and guided by, human virtues turns out to be a good that is an “... activity of soul in conformity to excellence...” (Aristotle 1098b). Therefore, the characteristic allowing a person to perform well is virtue. To further explain this concept you can use the example of
In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle says that virtue and happiness come from achieving the moral mean. The moral mean is the midpoint between deficiency and excess in any particular behavior. For example, the moral mean of recklessness and cowardice is courage. In matters of ple...
Aristotle believes that happiness rests within an absolutely final and self-sufficient end. The reasoning behind this theory is that every man is striving for some end, and every action he does must be due to this desire to reach this final end. He believes that in order for a man to be happy, he must live an active life of virtue, for this will in turn bring him closer to the final end. Although some may believe that these actions that the man chooses to take is what creates happiness, Aristotle believes that these actions are just a mere part of the striving toward the final end. I believe that Aristotle’s great-souled man is the highest virtue of character; His actions are never too extreme and he is appropriate in all his manners. The magnanimous person is within the intermediate state of character. “The deficient person is pusillanimous, and the person who goes to excess is vain” (§35). The magnanimous person surrounds himself with great things. The great things occurs when “he receives great honors from excellent pe...
I chose to write about Aristotle and his beliefs about how the virtuous human being needs friends from Book VIII from Nicomachean Ethics. In this essay I will talk about the three different kinds of friendship that (Utility, Pleasure, and Goodness) that Aristotle claims exist. I will also discuss later in my paper why Aristotle believes that Goodness is the best type of friendship over Utility or Pleasure. In addition to that I will also talk about the similarities and differences that these three friendships share between one another. And lastly I will argue why I personally agree with Aristotle and his feelings on how friendship and virtue go hand in hand and depend on each other.
Aristotle claims that there are two types of virtue: intellectual and moral. Intellectual virtues must be taught, so it requires experience and time. On the other hand, “none of the moral virtues arises in us by nature; for nothing that exists by nature can form a habit contrary to its nature.” (Aristotle 23) He says that when we are born, we all have the potential to be morally virtuous; it just depends on our upbringing and habits that determine who actually becomes virtuous. He confirms this with a metaphor to government, when he says, “legislators make the citizens good by forming habits in them.” (23) This is showing that on all levels, virtue is something that needs to be taught.
The virtues defined by Aristotle consist of two extremes or vices, the excess and the deficiency. The mean or the intermediate between the excess and the deficiency is the virtue. One virtue Aristotle explains is bravery, with its vices being rashness and cowardice. Each aspect of these is contrary to the others, meaning that the intermediate opposes the extreme. Similarly, one extreme opposes the mean and its other extreme. The implications of this are that the excess opposes the deficiency more than the mean. This causes the mean to sometimes resemble its neighboring extreme. Obtaining the mean involves the challenge of being excellent. The challenging part, however, is “doing it to the right person, in the right amount, at the right time, for the right end, and in the right way” (Nicomachean Ethics 1109a28-29:29). Fortunately, one can steer themselves to the mean if one is conscious of the extreme they are naturally inclined to go towards. Since everybody is uniquely different the means by which one steers themselves in the right direction is different for each individual. In addition, Aristotle names three requirements for an action to be a virtue. First one must be cons...
In order to know what virtuous action is, one must carefully choose between too much and too little. Aristotle says, “It is possible to fail in many ways, while to succeed is possible only in one way” (Aristotle 1221). This teaching is the premise of Nichomacean Ethics; Aristotle teaches what modern readers know as “The Golden Mean”—the understanding that moral virtue “is a mean bet...
In this essay we will discuss and analyze Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Mean. This topic area can be found in Book II, page 888, 6—15, through 890, 25. The purpose for Aristotle touching on this subject matter was to discern the states of character which are virtuous from those which are not. By this, I mean he is attempting to categorize which virtues are causal of a human “to be in a good state and to perform their functions well”(888—15). In order to keep this paper orderly and comprehensible, we will work in chronological order through Aristotle’s variety of premises and conclusions which lead to his main idea which is ––––––––––––.
For Aristotle the doctrine of the mean is a way to categorize (one of his favorite activities) moral virtue; however, there are some exceptions, as Aristotle noted, leaving a gap that must be filled. The doctrine is very helpful and does work, but one must beware the exceptions and carefully contemplate for himself whether these things are so.
One of Aristotle’s conclusions in the first book of Nicomachean Ethics is that “human good turns out to be the soul’s activity that expresses virtue”(EN 1.7.1098a17). This conclusion can be explicated with Aristotle’s definitions and reasonings concerning good, activity of soul, and excellence through virtue; all with respect to happiness.
Aristotle’s Strength is his belief in moderation (Book480). Aristotle believes the ultimate goal in life is to be happy and people will do what makes them happy. He defined the highest good as “eudaimonia” (Chaffee 477). To a...
Aristotle begins Book II chapter 1 by saying, “Virtues arise in us neither by nature nor against nature. Rather, we are by nature able to acquire them, and we are completed through habit” (page 18). If we activate and experience an activity we will began to learn that activity by practicing it over and over. As we said in our notes, we can acquire these by habit, training, repetition and practice. Aristotle then goes on to say, “For we learn a craft by producing the same product that we must produce when we have learned it; we become builders, for instance, by building… brave by doing brave actions” (page 19). I think what Aristotle is trying to say here is that experience is what makes us into something. We cannot become a harpist if we don’t
Consequently, if indeed there are several kinds of constitution, it is clear that there cannot be a single virtue that is the virtue-of a good citizen. But the good man, we say, does express a single virtue: the complete one. Evidently, then, it is possible for someone to be a good citizen without having acquired the virtue expressed by a good man" (1276b). What Aristotle doesn't tell us is who is better off. Is it sufficient to be the good citizen or is it definitely more satisfying to be the good man? The good man is recognizably superior to the good citizen. The good man possesses everything that is good. He does what is just and what is just is beneficial to himself and to those around him. His soul is completely well-ordered and, therefore, cannot allow for his desires to take over and commit evil or injustice of any kind.
Taking a look at Aristotle’s school of thought, we can begin to understand what he believed made a great person great. Aristotle believed in the idea of happiness being defined as “eu zên” Which translates to “living well” Aristotle also believed that true happiness was “eudaimon”. This meant to live in a way that was pleasing to the gods. Although most people today do
In chapter13, book one of Nicomachean Ethics, the reader is introduced to the virtues and is provided with a clear understanding of virtue through the human happiness and human good. Human virtue is also virtue of the soul but not of the body because the focus is on human happiness and human good. So happiness is an activity of the soul, which would make human virtue part of virtue of the soul (1102a15). So, since happiness is an activity of the soul, then human virtue must be further assessed.