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Aristotle's Ethical Philosophy Analysis

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Recommended: Aristotle notion of happiness

Samuel LaMotte
Intro to Ethics
25 October 2015
Julius Jackson
Analysis 2 Aristotle had five main points in his ethical philosophy. First is the highest good and the end toward which all human activity is directed is happiness, which can be defined as continuous contemplation of eternal and universal truth. Second is how one attains happiness by a virtuous life and the development of reason and the faculty of theoretical wisdom. For this one requires sufficient external goods to ensure health, leisure, and the opportunity for virtuous action. Third is how Moral virtue is a relative mean between extremes of excess and deficiency, and in general the moral life is one of moderation in all things except virtue. No human desire is bad if it is controlled by reason according to a moral principle. Moral virtue is acquired by a combination of knowledge, habituation, and self-discipline. Fourth is Virtuous …show more content…

We learn intellectual virtues by instruction, and we learn moral virtues by habit and constant practice. We are all born with the potential to be morally virtuous, but it is only by behaving in the right way that we train ourselves to be virtuous. As a musician learns to play an instrument by practicing, we also learn virtue by practicing, not by thinking about it. Virtue is a disposition, not a feeling or a faculty. Feelings are not the subject of praise or blame, as virtues and vices are, and while feelings move us to act in a certain way, virtues dispose us to act in a certain way. Our faculties determine our capacity for feelings, and virtue is no more a capacity for feeling than it is a feeling itself. Rather, it is a disposition to behave in the right way. Aristotle lists some of the principle virtues along with their corresponding vices of excess and deficiency in a table of virtues and vices. Some extremes seem closer to the mean than others: for instance, rashness seems closer to courage than to

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First, teachers will explain and educate on the defining aspect of virtue and emphasize that it is more of an external action. Afterward, teachers will teach about righteousness and explain righteousness is more of an internal thought process. Finally, teachers will educate students on humanity and the act of loving and caring for family and peers. Students should be able to distinguish the differences between the three and recognize each characteristics in a scenario. Students, finally, should be able to understand how to act in each manner in their journey in The

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A virtue is when a person behaves in a moral manner. Certain virtues that societies should possess can be harmful. Typically, good virtues, such as honor, courage, and compassion. are commonly used by people as a way of living. Every society should live by the good virtues and strive to ensure that all citizens are treated equally.

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One of the most decidedly controversial terms of our time is virtue. Depending on differing religions, statuses, or morals, virtue could have an entirely contrasting definition. However, no matter how a person defines virtue, it must first and foremost be determined how to be virtuous. How is virtue accomplished? Is it by avoiding evil or by choosing goodness over evil?

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Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics begins by exploring ‘the good’. Book I argues that, unlike other goods, “happiness appears to be something complete and self-sufficient, and is, therefore, the end of actions” (10:1097b20-21). In other words, happiness is the ultimate good. But how does one achieve happiness? Aristotle formulates this in the context of work, since for all things, from artists to horses, “the good and the doing it well seem to be in the work” (10:1097b27-28).

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Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, Book ll, is about his idea of how people should live a virtuous life. Throughout this book, he explains that humans learn virtue from instructions and we learn virtue from practice too. Virtue is something that is very important because it is a moral habit that results in keeping our moral values. Aristotle believed that nobody is born with virtue, everyone has to work at it daily. After reading Nicomachean ethics, Book ll, my main conclusion of it is that us as humans are better off being virtuous than simply doing what we feel like doing at any moment in time.

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Thus, when human function is done well, it is in accordance with virtue and best human life is achieved. In addition, it can be inferred that since Aristotle’s definition of happiness is to be virtuous, performing rational activity well can lead to happiness. In addition, Aristotle states, “if there are more than one virtue, in accordance with the best and most complete” (1098a18). This means that eventually there will be one virtue that is inclusive of all virtue and that displays an end, and this virtue will be in line with the self-sufficient and inclusive concept of happiness as the chief good. If this inclusive virtue and good is achieved, ultimate happiness will be achieved as well.

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1) Aristotle’s theory of Ethics is centered around a vision or purpose, guided by human values (Teological Ethics) and consists of 3 main parts; The Pursuit of happiness, Human Excellence, and The mean. For Aristotle, happiness isn’t momentary, happiness is a prolonged period in which a person does good things repeatedly and lives well. Happiness for Aristotle involves becoming an active member of your community and doing good things for the community. According to Aristotle, human excellence is the idea that humans aim to achieve the good and to live a life, demonstrating the virtues of excellence where they are the best they can be (have obtained as much good into their lives as possible). Human excellence, for Aristotle, is guided by our ability to reason and choose to do what is right.

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From our experiences, is a balance of noted subsequence, Habits of acting and principles of action allow for divergence from how these habits and/or principles correlate, the principle an embodiment of a person's constitution applied in the motivation of balance, as Aristotle emphasizes, an individual's characteristics our values. Additionally, Aristotle also exclaims, "A Nexis is an active condition, a state in which something must actively hold it, and that is what Aristotle says a moral virtue is. " That is to say, when taking a moral course of action it is a principle that is weighted. To flourish from exposure, experience right from wrong and elaborate these schemes, deepen our definitions of what it means in our extension. In a way, reminiscent of our own failures and experiences that are in fact just

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