Aristotle was one of the greatest Greek philosophers who lived around 350 B.C.E. Apart from being a philosopher, Aristotle was an astronomer, an author, and a geologist. Aristotle was Plato’s student and known for his positions and ideas on aspects like government, politics, and most fundamentally, the subject of ethics. As such, based on his book of Nicomachean Ethics, this academic research paper discusses Aristotle by answering certain questions about ethics
Two Fundamental Assumptions of Aristotle’s Approach to Ethics Typical of Most Ancient Greet Philosophers
Aristotle’s Nicomachean ethics entails a philosophical investigation into the nature of good life for human beings. In this book, Aristotle starts by asserting that there exists some ultimate good toward which, in the final analysis, all human decisions and actions ultimately aim. The philosopher advances that the requisite features of the ultimate good include being complete, final, self-sufficient, and continuous. Like other Greek philosophers such as Plato and Socrates, Aristotle’s first fundamental assumption to ethics is that they must focus on bringing out the good and happiness of people in society (Ross, 2020). The Greek philosophers denote this as “eudemonia” which implies blessedness or living well.
The second assumption that Aristotle makes like all other Greek philosophers is the need for human beings to discover the nature of happiness by determining the function and purpose of a human being. The implication is that actions by an individual must deal with particulars for one to understand human nature and the goals of ethics should be practical to help one live a eudemonic life or a life of happiness based on effective understanding pf their purpose in the world.
Relationship Between Politics and Ethics & Purpose of Studying Ethics
Aristotle considered ethics and politics as two related yet separate fields of study as ethics examines the good of a person while politics evaluates the good of the City-State, the polis, which he considered as the best form of community and demonstrating aspects of a welfare state. Aristotle observed that ethics entails the highest form of happiness as a life of intellectual contemplation (Ross, 2020). Aristotle advanced that reason separates humanity from animals and its exercise leads to the highest level of virtues. He argued that the contemplative life cannot happen with the necessary social environment and such a setting is impossible without an appropriate government like the Polis or the City-State. The implication is that the end of ethics offers the perfect segue into politics.
Studying ethics allows one to understand the need to be practical and live out the values that Aristotle and other Greek philosophers put forward. These cardinal virtues include temperance, courage and bravery, prudence and justice. According to Aristotle, moral virtue is the disposition to act in an excellent manner, which an individual develops partly because of their upbringing and as a result of their habit of actions and decisions.
Aristotle’s Definition of a Final End and Conception of Happiness
According to Aristotle, one can live a life based on virtue ethics through their excellent actions and following values like honesty, courage and generosity. Aristotle breaks virtue ethics into two critical parts; eudemonia (the highest good a human can attain) and the actual or practical virtue (arête) through which individuals attains eudemonia or true happiness (Ross, 2020). As such, Aristotle defines happiness as the ultimate end or good. Further, he asserts that happiness itself entails living according to reason and virtue. Aristotle attains this conclusion by distinguishing the function of human beings from the functions of other living things or animals.
Aristotle’s conception of happiness entails flourishing or living well as a complete and sufficient good. Therefore, Aristotle conceives happiness as the ultimate good and final end of human living and reason. According to Aristotle, all human activities are done for one to attain something that is good. The implication is that the ultimate end is to flourish and attain happiness in all actions and activities that a human being engages in while alive (Ross, 2020). Aristotle asserts that happiness is not merely a pleasurable feeling of being contented or satisfied but an activity of persons and one that should be understood based on the function of human beings in particular.
Aristotle’s Definition of Virtue; Moral and Intellectual Virtue & Role of Pleasure and Pain in Testing Virtues
Aristotle defines virtues as dispositions that human beings have to select good actions and passions based on moral knowledge of different sorts and motivated by a desire for characteristic goods as well as a desire to perform virtuous actions for one’s sake. Aristotle asserts that each virtue governs a different aspect of human life (Ross, 2020). However, all virtues are conducive to happiness as the ultimate good.
Aristotle identifies two forms of virtues that include intellectual and moral. Moral virtues entail virtues related to habits that individuals form while living in society. People learn moral virtues through habits and constant practice. Moral virtues include traits like courage, honesty, justice, kindness and generosity, and compassion. Intellectual virtues are attained through instruction. While human beings are born with the ability to be morally virtuous, they can only attain this by behaving in the right way that they train themselves through intellectual virtues like open-mindedness, intellectual rigor, intellectual humility and inquisitiveness.
Pleasure or pain that accompanies acts by a human person must be considered as a test of the formed habits or character based on the virtues that Aristotle discusses. Therefore, pleasure moves human beings to do what is fundamental and pain moves individuals to refrain from what is noble. Imperatively, one must create a balance between pain and pleasure as aspects of demonstrating virtue ethics. As such, each action and affection is associated with pain or pleasure.
Doctrine of Mean: Examples and Extremes Based on Particular Virtues
Aristotle asserts that the doctrine of mean is the idea at being virtuous is based on getting the moderate or middle conduct, behavior or attitude between two extremes; excesses or deficiencies. Aristotle asserts that the doctrine of mean implies flourishing and everything that one does should focus on attaining the mean; implying that one should not focus on the extremes of either deficiency or excesses in their characters and living out a virtuous life (Ross, 2020). For instance, the virtue of generosity implores one to be moderate such that they can give to others but not everything to remain poor. Further, exercising the doctrine of mean using the virtue of bravery means that one should not be so courageous to attain self-grandiose at the expense of their life and even the entire community.
Greek Conception of the Good Man Compared to the Christian Conception
Plato advanced that a man could only be considered good by knowledge about truth and one cannot know the truth without being good. However, Aristotle claimed that being a good man should be a standard and the measure of ethical truth. Therefore, Aristotle advanced that a virtuous person is one who embodies the truth and idea character traits that endure him to better actions.
The conception of good by Greek philosophers does not have significant difference to the Christian concept of what constitutes good deeds. Christians advance that truth from God and living the true values like love constitute the good actions of an individual irrespective of their situations. Therefore, like the Greek conception of good man, the Christian perspective emphasizes the need for truth for all actions that one engages in for the common good of all people in society.
Aristotle’s Conception of Continence and Incontinence
Aristotle opines that incontinence is the inability of self-control or moderation, particularly when it comes to the desire for wantonness of an appetite like sex, alcohol and drugs. Aristotle asserts that the incontinent individual is disposed to do what he understands is bad because of his passions. On the contrary the continent man or individual knows that his desires are wrong or bad but does not follow them since he uses logic or reason. Therefore, Aristotle considers a man who acts against their judgment as incontinent and having a defect in their attempts to have self-restraint or control. Aristotle opines that incontinence is a character defect that affects a virtuous man and impairs his ability to use reason in making decisions and taking actions.
Application of Aristotle’s Moral Philosophy in Present Day Problems and Needs
The moral philosophy of Aristotle is applicable to the current problems and needs of individuals in different ways because at its core is the need for one to live a virtuous and ethical life. Aristotle emphasizes on the need for one to attain happiness by considering their ethical and moral obligations and values. Happiness comes when one understands their purpose of being in the world and being consistent in their behaviors and conduct (Ross, 2020). Aristotle demonstrates that living a virtuous life leads to flourishing and attaining happiness as the ultimate or final end in all situations. Accordingly, the moral philosophy from Aristotle’s work is that human beings can only attain true happiness when their actions are virtuous and aimed at the common or shared good with others in society as depicted from the City-State conception; the welfare state for all people.
Reference
Ross, W.D. (2020). The Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle. Library of Alexandria.
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