Essay on Aristotle and the Doctrine of the Mean

During the Classical Period, 500-232 BCE, Greece was at the peak of its political and cultural achievement. This was also a time of war, most noteworthy being the vast empire created by Alexander the Great. In a period containing such an immense amount of historical significance there is no doubting that it had influenced the people born. Notorious philosopher Aristotle is no exception, contributing a great deal to the fields of mathematics, biology and ethics. His book titled Nicomachean Ethics contains his views on the ethics of mankind and how they can be applied on a daily basis. This essay will look critically at how the historical events that took place during the Classical Period may have influenced Aristotle’s work.

In this paper, I will examine Aristotle’s view on how virtuous action differs from that of craft (techne) action due to its issuing from a firm and unchanging disposition, as well as provide Aristotle’s reasoning as to why this is the case. In order to understand the differences between these two types of actions, one must first understand the similarities that both virtuous action and craft action share. Once the common traits of both virtuous and craft action have been examined, it will be possible to gain a better understanding of the differences between the two types of action, and how significant these differences truly are. Finally, once an understanding of both virtuous and craft action has been established, it will then be possible to examine Aristotle’s claim that virtuous action stems from a firm and unchanging disposition and why it is that we must accept this claim to recognize virtuous action for what it is.

First, I will set out Aristotle’s argument about a strong-willed person who struggles to overcome desires, and does it make them morally wrong. Aristotle’s argument about a

In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle understands virtue is a disposition that issues correct choice. In this essay, we are given the task to explain what Aristotle means by choice, which is in turn show that choice is not wishes, opinion, nor desire. Rather, Aristotle believes choice involves desire. So, I will explain concisely why correct choice is not a tendency to opine the correct thing to do rather correct choice is an intimate coordination between our rational and desiring faculties. Thus, controlling and coordinating what we desire and why we desire something. Ultimately, leading the agent to what the right thing they should do, full stop, regardless of numerous alternatives.

In the Socratic dialogues of Plato, Socrates often argues against the pretence of knowledge in his interlocutors. In the case of the Laches, Meno, and Protagoras dialogues, the pretence is the knowledge of virtue, among other things. The Laches seeks a definition of arête (virtue), the Meno examines the teaching of virtue, and the Protagoras offers a known expert the chance to defend that virtue can, indeed, be taught. Using these dialogues as a backdrop, I will provide an analysis of the arguments and comment on the acquisition of virtue in Platonic dialogue.

As we already know from reading other works by Plato, Virtue is not a cut and clean object with a distinct definition that is more correct than another definition. When Socrates asks, “what is virtue?”, Meno comes up with three definitions. However, none of his replies are true answers, but rather define parts of what helps to create virtue. Meno’s replies are scattered and he is unable to give the reader a true definition of what virtue is. Meno fails to give a common factor in all definitions of virtue, but rather gives the reader many different outlooks with nothing connecting each example. In this paper, I will discuss the exchanges between Meno and Socrates and the attempts made by Meno to describe virtue as well as Socrates’ arguments against them.

Plato 's Meno is a Socratic discussion on the definition of human virtues where the main participants are Socrates and Meno. Other speakers in the dialogue include an Athenian politician, one of Meno 's slaves, and Socrates’ prosecutor Anytus, who is a friend to Meno. Meno wants to understand the broad definition of human virtues and while visiting Athens he initiates the dialogue on virtues with Socrates. The discussion begins with Meno inquiring from Socrates whether virtues can be learned. Meno argues that, according to the Georgian’s, the attribute is defined differently by different people, and there is no common way to define it so as to apply it to all human beings. In response, Socrates argues that the Georgians do not understand the real meaning of virtue and in his opinion that some attributes are common to all human beings. Socrates also rejects the idea that virtues depend on human sexuality and age and insist that there are common attributes in humans. The conversation between the two becomes an argument on about the perfect definition of human characteristics. In essence, this paper discusses the critics in Plato 's Meno that led to a senseless conclusion on virtues as it was significantly contributed by Socrates. As well, the paper will support the argument that the agreement between Socrates and Memo was based on distinct ideas.

In the Republic of Plato, the philosopher Socrates lays out his notion of the good, and draws the conclusion that virtue must be attained before one can be good. For Socrates there are two kinds of virtue; collective and individual. Collective virtue is virtue as whole, or the virtues of the city. Individual virtue pertains to the individual himself, and concerns the acts that the individual does, and concerns the individual’s soul. For Socrates, the relationship between individual and collective virtue is that they are the same, as the virtues of the collective parallel those of the Individual. This conclusion can be reached as both the city and the soul deal with the four main virtues of wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice.

First and foremost, the best way to live requires one to be virtuous. Aristotle’s most notable theme in the Nicomachean Ethics is how one must be virtuous in order to live the good life. Virtue is defined by Aristotle as a disposition that aims at a mean. The key in this definition is moderation, which makes it applicable to so many virtuous. Whether you are contemplating courage, liberality, ambition, or gentleness the goal is to always be moderate and seek the mean. The one virtue that may not relate to the formal definition is justice because one can never be too just. Aristotle’s teachings on virtue provides great guidance on how to live on a daily basis.

Aristotle believes that there are two kinds of virtue, one being intellectual and the other being moral virtue. He states that Intellectual virtue comes from being taught meaning we’re not born with it. Moral virtue on the other hand we develop as we grow and gain an understanding of life. “The stone which by nature moves downwards cannot be habituated to move upwards, not even if one tries to train it by throwing it up ten thousand times” (N.E. II.1) Right there he is talking about how if you are designed to do one thing, it is impossible to do the opposite no matter how hard you force it. He talks about how we gain our virtues by practicing them and using them on a regular basis. That is how we learn

Virtue is a set of good qualities expressed by people's actions and purposes in life. Some philosophers have claimed that there is no truth in virtue as it is not a priori knowledge; you can't prove that it is wrong to kill by deductive reasoning. The right and the wrong don't come from the true and the false. But Aristotle shows that knowing the natural end of man enables to tell if it is true of false that an action is right or wrong. So, for Aristotle, what does the vituous life entails? What is his 'doctrine of the mean'? What is the government type that further Aristotle's virtue life? Is it a plausible type of society?

I will assert that virtue is the happy, magnificent, and content median between the two vices. This type of happiness is our highest objective in life. Moreover, all human activities aim at some end that we consider good. According to Aristotle, virtue is a disposition to behave in the right manner and as a mean between extremes of deficiency and excess, which are called vices. Individuals learn moral virtue primarily through habit and practice. Moreover, Aristotle does not say that we should aim for happiness, but rather that we do aim at happiness. Most individuals think of “happiness” as physical pleasure or honor, but this is because they have an imperfect view of the good life.

In the book Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle uses his collection of lecture notes in order to establish the best way to live and acquire happiness. Aristotle says, “Virtue, then, is a state that decides consisting in a mean, the mean relative to us,.. .It is a mean between two vices, one of excess and one of deficiency.” The virtues that Aristotle speaks about in Nicomachean Ethics are: bravery, temperance, generosity, magnificence, magnanimity, and mildness. According to Aristotle, in order to live a happy life you must obtain these virtues and be morally good. Living a virtuous life is not an activity, but a predisposition. This means that you are genuinely inclined to act virtuously for the appropriate reasons.

In Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, every point, every major idea, and every argument made, is all connected back to the concept that every action seeks an ultimate good. Aristotle felt that there is an intrinsic good that humans aim for and that there is this "good life" we all mean to have. However, what does it mean to be good? That means something different to everyone; we all inhabit many different roles in our day to day lives, whether we strive to be a good parent, a good sibling, a good student, a good citizen, or a good leader. All emphasize the importance of our own well-being, as well as that of others, and the greater community as a whole. For the purpose of this paper, the focus will

This essay will be examining the ethics of Plato (428-347 BCE) and Aristotle (384-322 B.C). I will firstly attempt to summarise the five fundamental concepts of Plato and Aristotle before providing my own opinion and view on their ethics. I will concentrate on their theories on the good life as a life of justice, censorship, knowledge and the good life.