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Aristotle's Traits Of Character Analysis

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A virtue is an acquired human quality that allows one to achieve personal happiness. Virtue is also by definition the moral excellence of a person where a morally excellent person has a character made up of virtues also known as good. Most of the ancient thinkers came to ethics by asking “what traits of character make someone a good person?” As a result, “the virtues” occupied centre stage in their discussion. According to Aristotle, a virtue is a trait of character manifested in habitual action that is good for a person to have. For example, virtues for a teacher would be being knowledgeable, articulate and patient. Virtues help us to fit in society, practices and activities we have chosen to participate in. This is because virtues are recognized …show more content…

We seek out for people for different purposes, and this affects which virtues are relevant. For example, in looking for an auto mechanic, we want someone who is skilful, honest and conscientious. But we also assess people as people in a more general way, so we also have the concept of a good person which is known as moral virtues. In compliance to this, there is an arisen question on what the virtues are and which traits of character should be cultivated in human beings. In Aristotle’s approach, he included a list of virtues which can be applied to many situations we find ourselves in on an everyday basis. This includes virtues such as fairness, self-discipline, loyalty and moderation. I will be elaborating on each of the virtues mentioned in the later part of this. As mentioned earlier, according to Aristotle, a virtue is the mean by reference to two vices where one of excess and the other of deficiency. First, I would like to explain on the virtue of fairness. Fairness here means treating people in a way that does not favour some over others. Fairness is a mean between the extremes of justice and injustice where the action is justified if we treat others like how we would want them to treat us while it is an unjustly action if we lie or falsely or harshly condemn about

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Virtues are only acquired through the habituation of doing the right things voluntarily. Aristotle also believed that a person doing the right thing and reaching the mean of a virtue should be brought pleasure by their actions. In a class discussion we defined character as the sum of all of our virtues, combined with how we use those virtues to influence our decisions and actions. The virtues I found most applicable in this case study are: integrity, humility, and loyalty. Integrity is a very influential virtue in this case, as

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Assignment 5 In the Politics, Aristotle describes three basic sorts of people, known as the beast, the citizen, and the god. Gods and beasts are both barbaric to Aristotle, because their ends are needs, not virtue. This is illustrated on page 109 when he says, “He who is without a polis, by reason of his own nature and not of some accident, is either a poor sort of being, or a being higher than man” (Aristotle, 1996, pg. 109.) This means that man is either a beast or a god if he chooses to be apart from the polis.

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Thanks Christine! Yes, I believe virtue shouldn't be placed if one did good to other. And you must understand every good act comes in various ways. Just like Odysseus in the Odyssey, he showed a sign of virtue when he had the strength and courage leading his men into a dangerous journey. This does show he's virtue for exhibiting such strength and wisdom in his quest.

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The great Aristotle declared, “We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly.” Virtue should be defined as perfect or righteous. However, it can be argued that because Ransom is a man, and man is sinful, he could not choose to be virtuous. Because this is the case, and man is inherently sinful as Jesus said in Matthew, “No one is good but One, that is, God” (Mark 10:18), we will adapt Merriam Webster’s definition of virtue, “Conformity to a standard of right, morality. A particular moral excellence” (merriam-webster.com).

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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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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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The virtues aren’t for any one specific group but a group as a whole. Man should follow the virtues and not vicious actions because vicious actions are harmful. Franklin believes that everyone should take interest in being virtuous if they “wish’d to be happy even in this World.” (Franklin, 433) Franklin’s 13 Virtues was a guide for Americans and future generations to follow to become the model citizens they believed they were.

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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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Out of the Silent Planet What is virtue? Merriam-Webster defines virtue as morally good behavior or character. So how does one become truly virtuous? Must they simply avoid evil or morally wrong behavior? Or must virtue be an active choice?

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Virtue is defined in many ways. Some say that it comes from the Latin word ‘virtus’, meaning virtue or courage, which comes from the other Latin word ‘vir’, which means man, meaning that virtue is the qualities of a man, such as courage. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines virtue as, “conformity to a standard of right [and/or] a particular moral excellence” (Merriam-Webster 899). With all these definitions floating around, it is hard to determine what virtues really is and what it really means to have virtue. In Plato’s Meno, Socrates and Meno discuss the definition of virtue and whether it can be taught.

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Aristotle’s virtue ethics differs from other moral theories. Unlike deontology and consequentialism, virtue ethics emphasizes and describes moral characters (virtues). In my paper, I am going to explore the objection to virtue ethics from a relativist point of view and the responses to this objection that were presented in Nussbaum’s paper “A non-relative approach to virtue ethics.” Furthermore, I am going to present two out of three relativist objections to her responses that she anticipated, and her responses to them.

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The divine command theory, utilitarianism, Kant’s duty defined morality, natural law theory, and Aristotle’s virtue ethics are the five types of ethical theories. The divine command theory states that what is morally right and wrong will be decided by God. Utilitarianism states that “Action “A” is morally right if and only if it produces the greatest amount of overall happiness. Kant’s duty defined morality states that what is important is acting for the sake of producing good consequences, no matter what the act is. Natural law theory states that people should focus on the good and avoid any evil.

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Virtue in his term is one that can meet the highest point of happiness; rich, fame, power, etc. In today’s society, it is kindness, intelligence, friendlessness, courage, etc. He would consider a celebrity to be at the highest peak of virtue and gain happiness, however, the happiness is normally attained even at that height. Someone who is poor and is sacrificing their food and money to help another poor family is someone to be considered as a true virtuous person. Aristotle didn’t think of how differently society would be then and now.

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We need to decide in every situation the right thing, to do for us. This eventually leads to the statements about finding the mean of all the virtues for yourself. Once you have achieved true happiness, you will be able to deliberate for any person in any scenario what the mean is for them and the right thing to do for all cases and all

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Essential Virtues: Achieving a Good Life Man has always sought after what he deemed a “good life”. A good life is being able to achieve one’s goals, pursuit of happiness, or when life’s blessings outweigh the burdens. Virtues help guide one to become morally excellent and live a fulfilling life. A virtue can be a behavior, personality trait, or habit that affects one’s emotions, perceptions and choice in life.

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