Following this concept Aristotle goes on to explain that through virtuosity a human being can lead a happy life. He defines virtue as a disposition to make the correct decisions that lead to the chief good of happiness. A perfect example is when he describes someone who does an action well as being good‚ but they are only considered good because of their distinctive activity. The distinctive activity for human beings can be considered our rationale. This is where virtue comes into play in the matter
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and all virtue we choose partly for themselves—for we would choose each of them even if no further advantage would accrue from them—but we also choose them partly for the sake of happiness‚ because we assume that it is through them that we will be happy. On the other hand‚ no one chooses happiness for the sake of honor‚ pleasure‚ and the like‚ nor as a means to anything at all” (Aristotle; Nicomachean Ethics‚ p.51). 2.) Aristotle explains how happiness can be considered the final virtue sought after
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12400 Yizhou Hu Luck‚ Virtue and Happiness The idea that non-virtuous people is possible to be better off than virtuous people like Priam seems to acknowledge that happiness is ultimately determined by luck. Indeed‚ by emphasizing that certain amount of fortune is necessary to happiness‚ Aristotle focuses on the relationship between luck‚ virtue‚ blessedness and happiness in Chapter 8 of Book 1. In the end‚ he takes a more intermediate stand toward fortune‚ claiming that virtue is the determinant of
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A man charged with corrupting the youth and not worshiping the gods of the city was once sentenced to death‚ not because he actually did those things which he was accused of‚ but because 501 citizens of Athens acting as jury for his trial had been convinced he deserved death. This philosopher‚ Socrates‚ considered to be the wisest man of his time‚ was humble and knew that his purpose as a philosopher was to express‚ share‚ and not compromise the truth. Recorded in the ancient works of Plato‚ he
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world around them. The Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle are responsible for some of these major early discoveries and are a big reason as to where we are today due to their endeavors to understand various philosophical topics. In this essay‚ I am going to explain Plato’s views on knowledge and science‚ Aristotle’s views on change and science‚ and ultimately how although both contributed to man’s understanding of philosophy today‚ Aristotle started a departure from the views of Plato and into
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Plato’s “Meno‚” Meno is questioning Socrates about the definition of virtue‚ and what it means to be virtuous. Meno‚ however‚ has constructed his own‚ and somewhat materialistic idea about virtue‚ thinking that the definition revolves around wealth‚ gold‚ and other items that represent someone of high rank. Throughout the story‚ Socrates provides Meno with a multitude of questions and examples‚ but never directly states what virtue is. For instance‚ Socrates proved to Meno that knowledge and learning
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Aristotle highlights in Nicomachean Ethics‚ that moral virtue is “acquired by repetition of the corresponding acts‚” thus virtue is acquired‚ not innate (Cahn 134). By doing moral acts repeatedly one becomes wise‚ “having or showing experience‚ knowledge‚ and good judgment” therefore‚ to be virtuous an individual is requires a plethora of wisdom‚ which is not learned or taught nor inherent‚ but from the source of trial and error. Additionally‚ after virtue becomes a habit the individual would then
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Kantian ethics is focused about the moral duties‚ Virtue ethics on the other hand place an emphasis on the development of a good moral character. Unlike the first two ethical theories‚ virtue ethics is not a theory about what makes an action right. It answers the question‚ “What kind of individual should I be?” and “What kind of characters are necessary to live a virtuous life? Virtue ethics can be tracked back from the ancient Greek philosopher‚ Aristotle who was the very first one to develop ethical
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Virtue Ethics asks the decision maker how the people affected by the decision can achieve happiness. This value states that there is no formula to find a correct decision‚ but the decision maker should consider what behaviors their virtues require in the situation and what impact their behaviors will have on their virtues. Luke must make a decision based on whether telling his brother about the development or keeping the information confidential will uphold his virtues and ensure the
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Virtue and Fortune in Machiavelli’s The Prince Throughout The Prince‚ Machiavelli outlines the characteristics needed to be a strong and admirable leader. He explains that personal characteristics such as courage and compassion‚ both being aspects of virtue‚ will earn him praise. However‚ he feels that this expectation is unrealistic and a prince’s first job is to protect the state‚ and having “bad” characteristics is sometimes necessary to reach that goal. That being said‚ in order to protect the
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