What is the core belief in Nicomachean Ethics?
With its often-technical presentation of virtues and its interest in ethics as both an individual and social concern, the Nicomachean Ethics provides a view of human activity that is impossible to distill into an easy slogan or set of moral rules. That complex, irreducibility of human ethics, as it turns out, seems to be a major element of Aristotle's argument.
What does Nicomachean Ethics mean?
The Nicomachean Ethics (/ ˌ n ɪ k oʊ ˈ m æ k i ə n /; Ancient Greek: Ἠθικὰ Νικομάχεια, Ēthika Nikomacheia) is the name normally given to Aristotle's best-known work on ethics.The work, which plays a pre-eminent role in defining Aristotelian ethics, consists of ten books, originally separate scrolls, and is understood to be based on notes from his lectures at the Lyceum.
What does Nicomachean mean?
What does Nicomachean mean? ko?ˈmæki?n/; Ancient Greek: ?θικ? Νικομάχεια, Ēthika Nikomacheia) is the name normally given to Aristotle's best-known work on ethics. It is therefore connected to Aristotle's other practical work, the Politics, which similarly aims at people becoming good.
Which philosopher most closely identified with virtue ethics?
Virtue ethics in general has since gained some adherence and has been defended by such philosophers as Philippa Foot, Alasdair MacIntyre and Rosalind Hursthouse. Though often seen as a wholly abstract field, philosophy is not without practical applications.
How many virtues are there in Nicomachean Ethics?
four virtuesThe four virtues that he says require the possession of all the ethical virtues together are: Being of "great soul" (magnanimity), the virtue where someone would be truly deserving of the highest praise and have a correct attitude towards the honor this may involve.
What are Aristotle's three requirements for virtue?
Aristotle proposes three criteria to distinguish virtuous people from people who behave in the right way by accident: first, virtuous people know they are behaving in the right way; second, they choose to behave in the right way for the sake of being virtuous; and third, their behavior manifests itself as part of a ...
What are Aristotle's 4 virtues?
Given that I have an undergraduate background in philosophy, I was intrigued and decided to show him a page in one of my books (Dictionary of Scholastic Philosophy, Wuellner, 1956) summarizing Aristotle's four cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude.
What is the main idea of Nicomachean Ethics?
What is the main idea of Nicomachean Ethics? The main idea of Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics is eudaimonia, sometimes translated as 'happiness. ' However, a better way to think of what Aristotle meant by this Greek term is the highest good that humans seek.
What did Aristotle say about virtue?
Aristotle defines moral virtue as a disposition to behave in the right manner and as a mean between extremes of deficiency and excess, which are vices.
What are the characteristics of virtue?
"Virtues" are attitudes, dispositions, or character traits that enable us to be and to act in ways that develop this potential. They enable us to pursue the ideals we have adopted. Honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence are all examples of virtues.
What are the major virtues?
The four Cardinal Virtues: Prudence, Temperance, Courage and Justice. The Seven Heavenly Virtues: Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, Justice, Temperance, Prudence.
What are the virtues in virtue ethics?
Virtue EthicsVirtue ethics takes its philosophical root in the work of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. ... Character traits commonly regarded as virtues include courage, temperance, justice, wisdom, generosity, and good temper (as well as many others).More items...•
What is Aristotle's argument in Nicomachean Ethics?
Aristotle’s larger argument in Nicomachean Ethics is that practicing virtues involves determining the “ mean ” (the intermediate) between an excess and a deficiency, and that this determination requires wisdom, not a mechanical application of a method.
What is virtue in Aristotle?
According to Aristotle, a virtue is a state of something whereby it performs its intended function well. Such a state is achieved when someone determines the “mean” between two extremes. A state is formed by repeated activity—or “ habituation ”—and consists of a disposition to do a certain thing on the appropriate occasion. Because of this formation through training, a state is something more than a mere feeling or capacity. A person who has habituated herself to bravery, for example, will be inclined to behave bravely when it’s appropriate even when she feels fear.
What are the two types of virtues Aristotle identifies?
To live a happy life, Aristotle claims, it’s necessary to know which virtues one must put into practice in order to attain happiness. Aristotle identifies two types of virtue—virtues of thought, which are associated with the rational part of the soul (these include prudence, understanding, and deliberation), and virtues of character, which are associated with the cooperation of the nonrational parts of the soul with reason (these include bravery, temperance, generosity, and truthfulness, among a number of others). But becoming virtuous is much more than simply knowing what the virtues are. Aristotle’s larger argument in Nicomachean Ethics is that practicing virtues involves determining the “ mean ” (the intermediate) between an excess and a deficiency, and that this determination requires wisdom, not a mechanical application of a method.
How does continence help in virtue?
Continence is also vital in putting virtue into practice . Virtue isn’t simply a question of determining the right way to act—an “incontinent” person (one who lacks self-restraint) draws the right conclusions and even makes the right decision about the “mean,” but his nonrational desires overpower his rational ones, and he acts against his right decision. Therefore self-restraint must be cultivated alongside one’s ability to determine the mean. As Aristotle’s discussion of virtue suggests, attaining the mean isn’t necessarily a straightforward process—it’s difficult, requiring more than just knowledge or practice. This accords with the nature of Nicomachean Ethics —the work isn’t intended to be a how-to guide, but to sketch an outline of the virtuous life and teach people to ask the right questions as they pursue that life.
What are the virtues of character?
A person seeking to develop virtues of character, therefore, must exercise certain intellectual virtues, such as prudence, and the state of continence (self-restraint) is a prerequisite to virtue as well. First, since determining the mean requires the intellectual virtue of prudence, Aristotle links virtue of intellect to virtue of character.
What is the meaning of prudence in Aristotle's theory?
First, since determining the mean requires the intellectual virtue of prudence, Aristotle links virtue of intellect to virtue of character. A prudent person doesn’t make a mechanical application of rules to situations; prudence is a development of one’s perception or understanding to meet particular situations.
Why is virtue generalized?
Aristotle’s discussion of the virtues is heavily generalized, because much of virtue consists in understanding how the “mean” should be observed under a specific set of circumstances.
Which book of Nicomachean ethics does Aristotle lay out his plan of action?
It is within Book II of The Nicomachean Ethics that Aristotle lays out his plan of action for us…
What are the two types of virtues?
We first must understand that there are two types of virtue, virtues of the intellect and virtues of character . Intellectual virtues mainly consist of wisdom and independent thought, while virtues of character refer to ideas such as bravery, temperance, and generosity. Virtue of the intellect grows from teaching, as we might expect.
What did Aristotle conclude about virtue?
Within the first few paragraphs of The Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle has concluded that all people have the potentiality for virtue and that we develop these virtues by performing virtuous acts. We become brave by behaving bravely, we become just by acting justly. We might be happy to call it quits right here.
What is the Pursuit of Virtue?
The Pursuit Of Virtue: Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. Last time we left off with Plato’s rather illusive explanation of moral virtue and the process of attaining it. It was through the early dialogue The Meno that we get a glimpse of Plato’s idea of virtue. Although, a glimpse is perhaps all that we are able the see.
Why is virtue a state?
It is because of our virtues and our vices that we are praised or blamed, and it can not be rightfully stated that we are blamed or praised for our feelings or our capacities for feelings, so it stands to reason that virtue is a state. Finally, we must understand that simply performing virtuous actions is not enough.
What does Aristotle aim to make us?
We might be happy to call it quits right here. However, Aristotle aims at making us good people, so the topic of virtue must be explored a bit more.
How does virtue of intellect grow?
Virtue of the intellect grows from teaching, as we might expect. Virtue of character, on the other hand, is formed form habit over time. Aristotle takes a moment to consider the idea that virtue is, by nature, within all people.
What is Virtue According to Aristotle?
Aristotle defines the mean as the proper way of being between two extremes in great detail in his Nicomachean Ethics. Virtue, according to Aristotle, and many Greek philosophers, is an excellence in morality. Here’s what Aristotle has to say about excellence:
How to Be a Virtuous Person
If you want to be a virtuous person, you should learn to seek the Golden Mean. But, how do you do that? Well, it’s not easy, but it can be done if you are ready to learn and put in the work. In this book, Aristotle explains that you have to do what is proper to the situation.
What is the first page of the Nicomachean Ethics?
First page of a 1566 edition of the Nicomachean Ethics in Greek and Latin. The Nicomachean Ethics ( / ˌnɪkoʊˈmækiən /; Ancient Greek: Ἠθικὰ Νικομάχεια, Ēthika Nikomacheia) is the name normally given to Aristotle 's best-known work on ethics.
How many books are in the Nicomachean Ethics?
In many ways this work parallels Aristotle's Eudemian Ethics, which has only eight books, and the two works are closely related to the point that parts overlap. Books V, VI, and VII of the Nicomachean Ethics are identical to Books IV, V, and VI of the Eudemian Ethics.
What is the virtue of being a good friend?
The virtue of being a truly good friend is the final example at 1157a in Book VIII. (In the Eudemian Ethics (Book VIII, chapter 3) Aristotle also uses the word " kalokagathia ", the nobility of a gentleman ( kalokagathos ), to describe this same concept of a virtue containing all the moral virtues.)
Which book of ethics discusses the sense of shame?
Aristotle says that such cases will need to be discussed later, before the discussion of Justice in Book V, which will also require special discussion. But the Nicomachean Ethics only discusses the sense of shame at that point, and not righteous indignation (which is however discussed in the Eudemian Ethics Book VIII).
What is the Latin name for ethics?
The Latin, which is also commonly used, can be Ethica Nicomachea or De Moribus ad Nicomachum . The Nicomachean Ethics is very often abbreviated "NE", or "EN", and books and chapters are generally referred to by Roman and Arabic numerals, respectively, along with corresponding Bekker numbers.
Which book does Aristotle discuss pleasure?
Aristotle discusses pleasure in two separate parts of the Nicomachean Ethics (book 7 chapters 11-14 and book 10 chapters 1-5) . Plato had discussed similar themes in several dialogues, including the Republic and the Philebus and Gorgias .
What is the difference between ethics and politics?
It is therefore connected to Aristotle's other practical work, the Politics, which similarly aims at people becoming good. Ethics is about how individuals should best live, while the study of politics is from the perspective of a law-giver, looking at the good of a whole community.
What is virtue in science?
Virtue can be defined as the “fulfillment of humanity’s distinctive function and as the mean between extremes. Each virtue is a product of the rational control of the passions.”. The mean could be considered as being the right amount. (the righteous thing). Reason or desire determine personal rationality.
Why are virtue ethics consequentialist?
The next reason why I believe virtue ethics to be more consequentialist than non-consequentialist is because the characteristics between a person who has virtue ethics has ethical egoism. According to Vaughn (P. 70) “the morally right action is the one that produces the most favorable balance of good over for oneself. The decision that somebody makes when dealing with different circumstances leads them to make decisions that will make them feel and look good in front of people. Someone with the mentality of an ethical egotist will think first about the consequences about the decision that they are about to make.…
What are virtues of character?
Firstly, virtues of Character are “those that pertain to the part of the soul that cannot itself reason but is nonetheless capable of following reason”2 . Meaning said virtues are those which pertain to ethics and the character of the person. Think of it this way, virtue of character preserves …show more content….
What does Aristotle define as virtue?
Said virtues are virtues of Character and virtues of Thought. Firstly, virtues of Character are “those that pertain to the part of the soul that cannot itself reason but is nonetheless capable of following reason”2 . Meaning said virtues are those which pertain to ethics and the character of the person. Think of it this way, virtue of character preserves …show more content…
Why are virtues deeply rooted?
Once our virtue becomes a form of nature to us, they form our actions and decisions. They are deeply rooted because they define the way we feel pleasure and pain. If we have been habituated to feel pleasure and pain the right way, then those attitudes become second nature to us.
What is the weak point of virtue theory?
The only weak point in the theory is the reliance on virtue being essential to happiness. It fails to consider that everyone is different, unlike character traits/moral virtues which can vary from person to person or culture to culture.
What does Aristotle say about virtuous people?
For Aristotle, the virtuous person has the right amount of the right emotions, for the right reason. He explains that the virtuous person also derives pleasure from acting virtuously. If one does not derive pleasure from acting virtuously, they are not a virtuous person.
The Chief Good In Life
According to Aristotle, everything we do in life, we do for the sake of some good, or at least something we perceive to be good. We call an act good if it satisfies a certain need. The satisfaction of this need is then considered good if it is a means for satisfying some further need, and this in turn is good if it will satisfy still another need.
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics
This is why we take various actions, to ensure enough outer goods to obtain health, leisure time and the ability to have virtue in our lifespan. Furthermore, another point Aristotle emphasizes, is that moral virtue is located somewhere between extremes and deficiency.
Aristotle's Philosophy Of Ethics And Business Ethics
Aristotle advanced the philosophy of ethics, where he demonstrated that it is a means of achieving an end to happiness. However, happiness means many things to different people. To Aristotle, the most adequate way to pursue happiness is through the virtue of excellence.
Human Good In Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics
Aristotle sums this up writing, “Suppose, then, that the things achievable by action have some end that we wish for because of itself… Clearly, this end will be good, that is to say, the best good” (1094a 18-22).
Humanity And Moral Virtue In Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics
Within Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, he considers humanity and its relationship with moral virtue. By the end of this essay, I will have summarized how Aristotle sees virtue as something that can be improved through repetition and what sort of ideology is required for an action to be considered virtuous.
Aristotle's Traits Of Character Analysis
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.
Plato's Concept Of Happiness And Happiness In Plato
In all of Plato 's dialogues, Socrates ' main goal is to achieve happiness, although friends and foes alike present him pathways that could lead to pleasure, but not true happiness.
What is moral virtue?
In his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle says that virtue is a disposition. A virtuous man will feel pleasure in performing virtuous actions and pain in performing vicious ones. Moral virtue is a state of character, which makes a man good, rather than a passion or a faculty. It consists of following the middle path between extremes. However, the middle path is different for different men, while some actions, such as adultery and murder, are entirely bad and should be avoided completely.
Can two virtuous men perform different actions?
Finally, since people have different abilities, the mean may not be the same for both of them. Hence, two virtuous men may, in practice, perform different actions. The right amount of training for an experienced athlete is not the same as the right amount for a beginner.
