Aristotle 's Theory Of Moral Virtue

The Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle 's key study of morality and the final goal of human life, has for many years been a popular and persuasive book. It offers the modern reader many useful insights into human desires and behavior despite being thousands of years old. The overarching theme behind this book is Aristotle 's assertion that there are no recognized unconditional moral standards and that every ethical theory must take into consideration an understanding of psychology and knowing that behavior comes from the realities of human nature and how it affects daily life. Additionally, the book echoes Aristotle 's accomplishments in other areas of philosophy and is a good display of his methodological thought process, which is widely considered to be the root of all modern science examination.

Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, first introduced virtue ethics as a method to describe how a good person should act. As such, virtues play a major role in every profession including engineering. Virtuous engineers make better decisions throughout the design and analysis of any component, item, or system. This paper begins with a description of Aristotelian virtue ethics followed by a discussion on the virtues I have gained while at Texas A&M University, virtues needed as a mechanical engineer, and methods of expanding these virtues.

Aristotle and Plato both said that there are four "natural virtues": Justice, Prudence, Temperance, and Fortitude. These values are all necessary to achieve human flourishing. Another key part of Aristotle’s ethic is what he referred to as ‘The Golden Mean’. He believed that a virtue can not necessarily be viewed as a virtue when it is used in excess. For example, courage is a virtue, but in excess it becomes rashness, a vice rather than a virtue. Moreover, when there is a lack of a certain virtue, this is also considered a vice. Aristotle's ethic is based primarily on balance. There cannot be too much excess or too little of the virtue. Thus, he said: "The mean [i.e. the balance] is successful and commendable. Virtue then is a state of deliberate moral purpose consisting in a mean that is relative to ourselves, the mean being determined by reason, or as a prudent man would determine it.”

In The Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle claims that there are three types of friendships. The three friendships being that of utility, pleasure, and virtue. First, in Sections 1-3, I will explain Aristotle’s claims of the three types of friendship. After that, in Section 4, I will examine Aristotle’s argument that there are two friendships that are not as lasting as the other friendship. Then, in Section 5, I will analyze whether or not the friendship of virtue can occur between only virtuous people. Next, in Section 6, I will evaluate whether or not true friendship is the friendship of virtue like Aristotle claims. Lastly, in Section 7, I will object to Aristotle’s claims.

“Can virtue be taught?”, was a question I struggled with when Meno ask Socrates. In Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle answers the question in a way I better understand. He believes that virtue can be taught and if you are taught good behavior you are excellent. He especially believes that the virtue of a human being is “being characteristic”, which helps me understand “What is virtue? “Virtue, according to Aristotle, are the characteristics that makes us either good or bad. Everything we do is not natural we learn what is moral and immoral by what we were taught. Somethings we believe are right might not be right to others, but just because we may think it is immoral does not make it necessarily wrong. Aristotle mentions that passion is presented in the soul virtue.

Aristotle’s thoughts on ethics conclude that all humans must have a purpose in life in order to be happy. I believe that some of the basics of his ideas still hold true today. This essay points out some of those ideas.

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

For Aristotle, moral virtues derive from intellectual virtues. He believes that while intellectual virtues can be taught, moral virtues come from habits, customs, and training. Moral action is branched into three characteristics: knowledge, choice, and intention- knowledge being a trait of intellectual virtues, choice and intention being a characteristic of moral virtues. In order to obtain intellectual virtue, one must acquire it through learning; and in order to obtain moral virtue, one must acquire it though temperate and just acts according to Aristotle. Kevin from “Blame” believes that his neurological surgery caused the wrongdoing of his actions but meanwhile he was conscious of his actions.

The philosophy of virtue ethics, which primarily deals with the ways in which a person should live, has puzzled philosophers from the beginning of time. There are many contrasting interpretations regarding how one should live his or her life in the best way possible. It is in my opinion that the Greeks, especially Aristotle, have exhibited the most logical explanation of how to live the "good life". The following paper will attempt to offer a detailed understanding of Aristotle's reasoning relating to his theory of virtue ethics.

Aristotle, 384-322 B.C Deeper Understanding of Virtue Ethics Aristotle’s idea of virtue states that any action or even a feeling must be done at the “right time, in the right way, in the right amount, for the right reason- not too much and not too little” (442, The Moral of the Story, 2016). Strengths of Aristotle Virtue Ethics The preferment of Aristotle’s foundation of virtuous ethics are seen through the holistic view of human nature. By this it means that virtue ethics include emotion due to it being essential to the building of one’s character. Aristotle believes that there is a social concept of morality grounded within human nature’s foundation in which there are rational and irrational sides of conflict. Strengths of Aristotle Virtue

Although nature endows humans with some faculties, such as the senses, nobody as an infant has any development of the virtues, both intellectual and moral. In Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle describes how the development of moral virtue is “due to habit” (31), and that “the causes or means that bring about any form of excellence are the same as those that destroy it” (32). Through this theory, Aristotle describes how the creation and destruction of moral virtue is the result of behaviors and habits that are developed early in one’s life and either kept or corrected as one grows older. Over time, these behaviors will either lead to a virtuous character, or to a character in which there is an excess or deficiency of the moral virtues.

In our society today, we are mostly challenged by two questions: ‘is it right to do this or that? And ‘how should I be living in society?’(Bessant, 2009). Similar questions were greatly discussed in the history by our ancestors in their philosophical discussions. The most ancient and long-lasting literature on moral principles and ethics were described by Greek philosopher Aristotle. He had an excellent command on various subjects ranging from sciences to mathematics and philosophy. He was also a student of a famous philosopher. His most important study on ethics, personal morality and virtues is ‘The Nicomachean Ethics’, which has been greatly influencing works of literature in ethics and heavily read for centuries, is believed to be

In Book II of the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle discusses the idea of moral virtue. Aristotle emphasized the importance of developing moral virtue as the way to achieve what is finally more important, human flourishing (eudaimonia). Aristotle makes the argument in Book II that moral virtue arises from habit—equating ethical character to a skill that is acquired through practice, such as learning a musical instrument. However in Book III, Aristotle argues that a person 's moral virtue is voluntary, as it results from many individual actions which are under his own control. Thus, Aristotle confronts us with an inherently problematic account of moral virtue.

Aristotle, provided his account of morality, then Hume also has his own set of morality. In which, Hume mentions that “reason is the salve of the passion”(Prompt). While, Aristotle’s view is that passions are the slaves of reasons. Even though both have their own sets of morality, one of them has a better concept of morality. Hume has his own set of morals in which there are flaws. In this paper, I shall have to agree with Aristotle over Hume. Aristotle’s concept that our passions are the slaves of reasons. In this paper, I will agree with Aristotle and I would have to disagree with Hume. I shall start off with a brief introduction of Aristotle’s morals. Next, I will move on to the reasons why Aristotle has a better reasons than Hume. Then finally, I will give my closing remarks on the topic.

In Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics he accounts that humans should make sacrifices and should ultimately aim first and foremost for their own happiness . In the paper I will argue that it is really in a person’s best interest to be virtuous . I will do this by first describing Aristotle’s notion on both eudaimonia and virtue , as well as highlighting the intimate relationship between the two . Secondly I will talk about the human role in society. Thirdly I will describe the intrinsic tie between human actions . Finally I will share the importance of performing activities virtuously .