Aristotle's Explanation Of Virtue Ethics

Aristotle outlined his theory of Virtue Ethics in his book Nicomachean Ethics. Aristotle focused his idea of ethics on agents rather than acts. His main idea is focused on the idea of human character- how can you be a better person? In fact, Aristotle once said: “For we are enquiring not in order to know what virtue is, but in order to become good, since otherwise our enquiry would be of no use.” Aristotle is given the credit for developing the idea of virtue ethics, but many of Plato's cardinal values influenced his ideas. Virtue Ethics is focused on the person's actions, not the consequences of that action. Aristotle believed if you had good moral values, then your actions would be "good" in theory. Rather than defining good actions,

Aristotle was a premier Greek philosopher who had some very interesting concepts on ethics, which are collectively called the Nicomachean Ethics. His collection of work has led to the development of many theories on the basis for human existence. The main question by Aristotle’s series of lectures is the bane of human existence. According to Aristotle, humans seek happiness (4). If anything promises happiness, then human will go in the direction it leads. Aristotle was also just as interested in other areas such as virtue. His opinion of human ethical action is based on the rationality of human beings. Being rational beings, human beings will always assess situations before making decisions. Virtue is not only a predisposition found in

“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.

In Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, ethical virtue is at the base of every Aristotle argument. Aristotle’s goal is to discover: what constitutes human excellence? A key position Aristotle takes in ethical virtue involves habit among human actions, “Neither by nature, then, nor contrary to nature do the virtues arise in us; rather we are adapted by nature to receive them, and who are made perfect by habit.” (Nic.2.1.1103a23-25). Through this statement, Aristotle believes that humans do not have virtues by nature, which means humans cannot be born with virtue. However, nature equips humans with the potential to acquire virtue over time through social training and habituation. Aristotle’s concept is on the same grounds as Roger Bergman’s, author of Catholic Social

To what extent do modern versions of Virtue Ethics address the weaknesses of Aristotle’s teachings on virtue?

In order to obtain a successful argument speaker must be rhetorical. According to Aristotle the secret to being a persuasive public speaker you need to understand ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos. They are considering the essential qualities of a speech or presentation which will help the audience accept the message you are trying to deliver. In order for a speaker can convince an audience they must understand ethos. Ethos is that a speaker must accept anything he says in order to get the audience attention and credibility. The speaker must be respected, trustworthy, and authority to have credibility to perceive your audience. The next step is pathos which is the quality the speaker can persuade their presentation and emotion to the audience.

As soon as I read over this question, I knew it was the one I would have to answer, because it was the one I wasn't sure I could. I felt the prompt would allow me the opportunity to directly illustrate the person that I am. However, my current knowlege and interpretation of Aristotle's “Nicomachean Ethics” has made the task reprehensibly difficult. I found myself wandering through a mind-numbingly agonizing process to properly address the prompt. This process consisted of working through two separate paths that addressed the topic. Though, I found myself seeing that both of these paths brought me further from the very virtue I was trying to show that I pursue.

Abstract: Aristotle contributed greatly to the development of the human moralistic values by scripting the Nicomachean Ethics. This comprehensive book lays down the principles of virtuous behavior that can most certainly complete one's life while nurturing one's soul. In the thesis, we discuss the origin of the virtues and there relevance with respect to modern examples of real public figures.

Consequentialism is the philosophy doctrine that the morality of an action is to be judged solely by its consequences (Oxforddictionaries.com). In Consequentialism a morally right action is one that gets a good outcome and the consequences of the action outweighs all other considerations. In other words the end justifies the means. Utilitarianism and hedonism are forms of consequentialism. The principle of utility says nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure and everything we ought to do and shall do is determined by these two factors. On the other side, right and wrong, causes and effects and also high on the throne, they control us in all we do, say and think…. (Philosophy: Classical and

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.

In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle states that “virtue of character is a mean” (1109a 2). This means too much or too little of a certain character is vice. To be truly virtuous, Aristotle believes an individual must find the proper amount of character. I agree with Aristotle in that a truly virtuous person has balanced characteristics and traits, because any trait in an extreme form is undesirable. In Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle talks about bravery as one of these traits, stating “For the brave person… appears rash in comparison to the coward, and cowardly in comparison to the rash person”(1108b 20). To Aristotle, the brave man would be most virtuous when compared to the rash man and the coward, because it is the mean of the traits. I agree

Aristotle's virtue ethics endeavor to make peace with crime and restore justice to society by forgiving the offender for his actions instead of holding resentment for that person. Ressentiment use to be involved in most of the capital punishment case. Also, it was used to sentence an offender.In order to overcome the negative of resentment we have to overcome the negative with positive virtues such as with forgiveness and mercy. Retribution is getting the victim, offender, and community together. so the victim can forgive the offender. Also, the offender gets to tell the victim how sorry he is. The virtue of passion and forgiveness for instance help us to overcome the tendency towards anger,hatred, and the desire for revenge(Williams & Arrigo,

There are two kinds of virtues: moral and intellectual. Intellectual virtues are learned by experience and time, whereas moral virtues are learned by habits and practice. Virtues are not given to us at birth (nature); we have to make our own effort to train ourselves to be virtuous. In the next few paragraphs, Aristotle emphasizes how pleasure and pain play an important role in how our moral virtues are developed. To explain he uses an example of a glutton and a temperate person and the pleasure/pain of food. Then he talks about how many people could be just but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are virtuous. He proceeds to talk about his three criteria to determine if a person is virtuous. First criteria is virtuous people know that

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.

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 .