Aristotle defines virtue in terms of a mean or median. On one end is the excess and on the other the deficiency with the median found somewhere between the two. A sizeable portion of the book is dedicated to discussing these virtues and their excess and deficiency as well as the sphere the virtue falls under. While a majority of the virtues have vices on either side and are found through trial and error somewhere between them‚ the virtue of temperance does not have this quality and is therefore more
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serve to discover the generalities of human thought. Without Aristotle‚ the concept of metaphysics would cease to exist. Taking this into consideration‚ it is evident that Aristotle plays a major part in the study of metaphysics and how we know it today. Therefore‚ he formulated the basic entities of metaphysics and constructed its foundation through his own philosophies. Also‚ after reviewing material presented by Socrates and Plato‚ Aristotle is able to develop an understanding of causes and substance
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Allegory of Fortune For such a beautiful piece with such soft lighting and rich color‚ Salvator Rosa’s Allegory of Fortune hardly seems like something created out of anger. A beautiful woman‚ wrapped in a golden cloth is shown feeding an assortment of animals. There is little in the painting that evokes the sort of emotion in the viewer that Rosa put into the painting; only after applying knowledge of symbolism does the viewer see Rosa’s angry‚ shaking fist. Completed in 1659‚ Allegory of Fortune
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A. Loren Eiseley begins his essay sitting in his office‚ having gratefulness for water. 1. He believes water is magical and contains life. 2. He explains his amazement of the water beetle and the green algae that grows in rain puddles on the rooftop. 3. He describes the possibility to experience the escape of being confined in skin. 4. The opportunity to be submerged and be one with the water. 5. Many years ago‚ he experiences this opportunity in a remote western country on the Platte River
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Am Phronesis According to Aristotle and his theories‚ there are two basic types of intellectual virtues by which we live our lives. The two intellectual virtues that he speaks of are wisdom and phronesis. Wisdom is a virtue that we are able to gain and increase throughout our lives through experience and time. Of the two different intellectual virtues that Aristotle speaks of‚ wisdom is more of a scientific knowledge‚ it is the type of knowledge that would be expected of an intellect. While
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Philosophies of Aristotle and Plato Plato and Aristotle both have been very influential as the ancient Greek philosophers. Aristotle was a student of Plato and there are many similarities between these intellectual giants of the ancient world but there are also many things that distinguish them from each other. Aristotle was far more empirical-minded than Plato. First‚ Plato’s philosophy relegated the material‚ physical world to a sort of metaphysical second class. His contention was that the
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According to Aristotle‚ the highest virtue of man is reason. He believes reason is what separates us from other living beings. Without reason‚ we would be no different than animals living on instinct. To understand exactly what he means‚ we must understand how Aristotle defines virtue. Virtue‚ according to Aristotle‚ is the excellence of function. Everything has a specific function and performing that function with excellence leads to having virtue. He believes the unique human function is
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Aristotle believes that we need virtue‚ both of thought and of character‚ to achieve that completeness leading to happiness. This is the function: activity in the soul in accord with virtue‚ where soul is defined as what is in us that carries out our characteristic activity. Aristotle is right in believing we need virtue. The end of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics Book I introduces the idea that since happiness is “a certain sort of activity of the soul in accord with complete virtue‚ we
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Philosophy Homework 1A.) “Explain Plato’s analogy of the cave” Plato’s analogy is intended to explain the fight or struggle for true knowledge about the world and to see a different view on how we see the world. The analogy tells the story of three prisoners who are chained with their backs to the entrance of the cave‚ so they are unable to move or see anything behind them. Behind them is a fire and many people move through the cave all day and they are carrying things‚ so the shadows are projected
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Aristotle and Friendship According to Aristotle‚ there are three kinds of friendship based on three kinds of love that unite people. Aristotle defines friendship through the word‚ philia. Philia is the emotional bond between human beings which provides the basis for all forms of social organizations‚ common effort‚ and personal relationships between people. The three kinds of friendship Aristotle explains are utility‚ pleasure‚ and complete friendship. Friendship based on mutual utility
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