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Difference Between Aristotle And Machiachean Ethics

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In todays world there is a distinct gap which separates virtue (ethics) from politics. For instance, the two distinct areas are not usually studied together, but are mostly separated from one another. This is far different than Aristotle’s approach in which he grouped both areas together because he felt that they are both practical sciences concerned with good action. Nicomachean Ethics is where his beliefs come to the forefront, with his connection of politics and virtue. He argues that all of the sciences are put to use in political science, which make it the master of promoting human good. He states that the “true politician is thought to have put most of his effort into studying virtue” (NE, 13). I take this to mean that the study of virtue seems to be of primary importance to both politicians and political scientists. …show more content…

Aristotle says that in order to be a proper student of ethics, the student must already have substantial life experience and instruction in virtue. A student that is not properly informed in ethics will not profit from the subject of virtue because this person is more inclined to listen to their own passions than to actually reason. (NE, Ch.1) Branching off of that, Aristotle believes that to be a leader, one should have the highest moral virtues achievable. They must have virtue in perfection. He also says that humans practice virtues because embracing them are what it means to be happy. According to Aristotle, moral virtue is what defines a leader. Without a leader, society ceases to exist, which means that the leader is truly the whole society. If you do not have a leader you are living a Barbarian life. Aristotle and Machiavelli do agree on the stratification of society, with the ruler being on top and the subjects below

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Heinrichs supports his claim by stating, “The second characteristic of ethos, virtue, also has its disconnects, and it makes an especially good lie detector. Aristotle lets you put up a red flag even if you don’t know the person, even while he talks. The secret lies on Aristotle’s defintion of virtue ‘A state of character concerned with choice, lying in a mean’... And you can use it to enhance your own reputation as well as evaluate the character of another person,” (Heinrichs 176). The author’s purpose is to describe the benefits of using ethos’ characteristic of virtue in order to make an argument more credible.

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1056 Words | 5 Pages

What exactly is a good leader and how should they be? In the readings, by Christine de Pizan The Treasure of the City of Ladies and another by Niccolo Machiavelli The Prince. They both talk about how a prince and a princess should act upon their people. For Pizan she talks about how a princess should be kind hearted and accepting towards her people. She should act like this sho that they will help her whenever she is need.

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545 Words | 3 Pages

Organizations are most productive when individuals work as a whole to gather knowledge and when leaders rule effectively in order to gain respect. A leader rules most effectively when they use cruelty to instill fear in their followers (Source D). For example, a coach on a football team will have better results during practice and games if he coaches so that his players fear rather than love him. A way to do this is if the coach uses harsh punishments, like conditioning, when his players step out of line.

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1217 Words | 5 Pages

When it comes to Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, I believe that he has found a common thread in humanity in the fact that humans strive for the moderate in living virtuously. However, I would argue that the thread is varied enough to have no true worth in discerning the aspects of humanity. People have too different moralities and goals. Because Aristotle allows for these “local variations”, as Martha Nussbaum later terms in her defense of Aristotle, he is acknowledging that there cannot be an overarching analysis of humanity.

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1495 Words | 6 Pages

In Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, he outlines the different scenarios in which one is responsible for her actions.  There is, however, a possible objection which raises the possibility that nobody is responsible for their actions.  Are we responsible for some of our actions after all?   If so, under what circumstances?

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1025 Words | 5 Pages

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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825 Words | 4 Pages

Aristotle describes virtue theory as an ethical theory that emphasizes an individual 's character rather than following a set of rules. Breaking it down even further to specify knowing right from wrong, being able to read an atmosphere by knowing what is right, and it is the midpoint between two extremes. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. display to be a virtue ethicists through his letter oppose to being a deontologist or utilitarian. Laws define a set of rules that the people should follow; however, there are unjust laws that are meant to be challenged.

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429 Words | 2 Pages

He believes anyone can rule a polis if they have virtu. Once a ruler, a simple rule to follow to maintain power and not to be hated by the people, is to “not take away a man’s possession or woman”, Machiavelli believes the people will not feel threaten by following this rule, thus maintaining a stable polis. He expresses how “human nature never changes”, and that people are self-interested and they can turn against you once you are not profiting them. A good ruler must have the strength to do whatever it takes to obtain and maintain power, which essentially means that even if they have to hurt some of the people for the benefit of the popular mass, then they shall do so for the greater cause. Both Plato and Machiavelli believe that there must be a government in order for human kind to survive.

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1889 Words | 8 Pages

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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1284 Words | 6 Pages

In Machiavelli’s book, The Prince, he maintains a harsh perspective on reality. His advice on how to maintain power leaves no room for compassion or generousity. While some may believe that these are qualities of a good person, Machiavelli believes these qualities lead to the downfall of rulers. He acknowledges that, in reality, it is impossible for someone to have qualities of a good person and simultaneously a good ruler. Machiavelli’s realistic outlook causes him to emphasize that it is better to maintain power through fear, rather than compassion.

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“Every skill and every inquiry, and similarly every action and rational choice, is thought to aim at some good; and so the good has been aptly described as that which everything aims. But it is clear that there is some difference between ends: some ends are activities, while others are products which are additional to the activities. In cases where there are ends additional to the actions, the products are by their nature better than activities.” (Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, as translated by Crisp, 2000, p. #3) Aristotle was the first philosopher who wrote a book on ethics titled, Nichomachean Ethics.

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Probably one of the most infamous and controversial ideologies of the 16th century, the prince by Machiavelli has been a reference for many great leaders and academicians since it was published. The book provides historically tested and proven principles of leadership. The prince has been described as a manual for those who want to win and retain power. While some may argue that leadership is an inherent trait in human, leaders are made, not born. Making a great leader out of a person is not just a matter of identifying the leadership traits, skill and talents of the individual, but harnessing the traits, develop them and eventually mastering how to be leader.

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Many classical philosophers have given their voice to the nature of human life and what entails its climax. The very nature of human beings has been investigated, broadly, to establish a comprehensive understanding often pegged on morality. Yet, such thoughts have prompted diverse viewpoints with accompanying grounds or reasons. Happiness is an unending topic of discussion in philosophy. This paper explores the similarities and differences in Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism to coin a position in whether or not happiness is the ultimate end that human society aspires to acquire.

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1163 Words | 5 Pages

The idea of virtue ethics was first introduced to the world by Aristotle over 2,300 years ago in 325 BC (Rachels 173). Virtue ethics operate on the belief that people develop good character by looking at the virtues they admire in other people and emulating them. In order to do this, a person must ask themselves what kind of person they want to be and focus on choosing characteristics not specific people to emulate. Unfortunately, virtue ethics were quickly overshadowed by other perspectives on ethical theory as Christianity gained popularity and values changed. As time went on people stopped asking themselves, “What traits make a good person?”

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703 Words | 3 Pages

Leaders should be virtues and just. They differed in the methods that a good and moral leader would be groomed. Aristotle’s method was by teaching the future leader from a young age all the way through late adult hood. The curriculum would cover math, the sciences, ethics, rhetoric, and of course philosophy. Locke saw religion as main method of creating good and moral leaders and education as an auxiliary method.

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