Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics
What is the aim of the human life? Are all the means good for attaining this goal? Aristotle considers these questions in his book of Nicomachean Ethics.
He tries not to find out the “why” of the existence of the humanity on the Earth, but the ultimate goal a human being is supposed to strive to, in order to give sense to his life. He believes, this ultimate goal is Eudaimonia. This word can be translated as “happiness”, but also fulfillment, flourishing or living well.
To prove that happiness is the ultimate goal and not merely a purpose among many others, Aristotle gives some criterias. “ We can identify three (or perhaps only two) criteria which such a goal must satisfy: it must have the marks of Ultimacy, Self-Sufficiency, and (perhaps …show more content…
For Aristotle, a virtue is “is a trait of character that enables a person to flourish”.He subdivides virtues into moral and intellectual ( which, in turn, are divided into practical and theoretical wisdom). The basis of this distinction is whether a virtue is born by the reason or only obeys to it. Describing a virtuous person, Aristotle presumes that such a person is free (not slave) male (not a woman). Through a right upbringing this person might acquire good habits that will develop into moral virtues. Aristotle proposes a list of moral virtues and claims that every virtue is a mean between a lack and an excess of the corresponding quality. In order to act virtually, a person has to choose how to react to a situation and to his feelings, therefore he may be more or less responsible for his acts. A person can be forced to act against his will, he may not see in advance the consequences of his action or inaction, he may act impulsively. He will be less responsible that another person who acts voluntarily, deliberately and wholly understands the aftermath of his deeds. A really virtuous person does not any more need to choose, he gets pleasure by acting well, he is disposed to act well and feels no pressure to act wrongly. “ Virtue is a disposition, not a feeling or a
He tries not to find out the “why” of the existence of the humanity on the Earth, but the ultimate goal a human being is supposed to strive to, in order to give sense to his life. He believes, this ultimate goal is Eudaimonia. This word can be translated as “happiness”, but also fulfillment, flourishing or living well.
To prove that happiness is the ultimate goal and not merely a purpose among many others, Aristotle gives some criterias. “ We can identify three (or perhaps only two) criteria which such a goal must satisfy: it must have the marks of Ultimacy, Self-Sufficiency, and (perhaps …show more content…
For Aristotle, a virtue is “is a trait of character that enables a person to flourish”.He subdivides virtues into moral and intellectual ( which, in turn, are divided into practical and theoretical wisdom). The basis of this distinction is whether a virtue is born by the reason or only obeys to it. Describing a virtuous person, Aristotle presumes that such a person is free (not slave) male (not a woman). Through a right upbringing this person might acquire good habits that will develop into moral virtues. Aristotle proposes a list of moral virtues and claims that every virtue is a mean between a lack and an excess of the corresponding quality. In order to act virtually, a person has to choose how to react to a situation and to his feelings, therefore he may be more or less responsible for his acts. A person can be forced to act against his will, he may not see in advance the consequences of his action or inaction, he may act impulsively. He will be less responsible that another person who acts voluntarily, deliberately and wholly understands the aftermath of his deeds. A really virtuous person does not any more need to choose, he gets pleasure by acting well, he is disposed to act well and feels no pressure to act wrongly. “ Virtue is a disposition, not a feeling or a