Essay on Aristotle and the Doctrine of the Mean - 2044 Words

Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Mean and the Problem of Self-Control Introduction Aristotle’s Nicomahean Ethics is a rich text of ancient wisdom, much of which has become ingrained into today’s rhetoric in many schools of thought in the western world. It is with Aristotle’s views on Virtue that this paper is primarily concerned, more specifically with his idea that to have virtue is to display attitudes and actions to a moderate and intermediate degree. Stan Van Hooft (2008) notes that, although Aristotle’s thoughts on this matter are logically sound for the most part, that his assertion that Virtue is the Mean was not his final, conclusive stance on the issue, and that this theory â€Å"is only a part of a bigger picture of virtue that he is†¦show more content†¦On the other hand, one may decide that the risk may not be worth the outcome, and exercise caution and vigilance. It is in this way that the Mean, in relating to the moral virtues, shifts and changes according to the variables of any given human being and the situa tion one finds oneself in. Does this idea hold true? Aristotle himself saw exception to his own theory. Primarily he saw that there were some actions which were not on the continuum between deficiency and excess at all. Aristotle, in Book II of his Nicomachean Ethics, says that not all actions and feelings have a mean at which to aim, â€Å"because some have names that directly connote depravity, such as malice, shamelessness and envy, and among actions adultery, theft and murder†, and as far as he is concerned these are evil in and of themselves, and not categorically defined by any excess or deficiency (Book II, iv, 1107a 9-15). In displaying these actions or feelings, says Aristotle, one is always wrong, and this is unequivocally non-circumstantial. It would be interesting at this point to open up some discussion around Aristotle’s theories on free will and responsibility. Namely, if one is forced, circumstantially or otherwise, into performing an action that is deemed non-virtuous (choo sing between the lives of two people, for example), how would AristotleShow MoreRelated Aristotle and the Doctrine of the Mean Essay1436 Words   |  6 PagesAristotle and the Doctrine of the Mean Aristotle seeks flourishing happiness in life. He believes that this can be achieved for each individual through the embracement of virtues. Aristotle believes that virtues are the mean of two vices. This is the basis of the Aristotelian â€Å"Doctrine of the Mean†. This paper will explore the basis of the Doctrine of the Mean, its connections to Eudaimonia, and its success or lack thereof. Eudaimonia is a Greek word whose meaningRead MoreAristotle s Doctrine Of The Mean1344 Words   |  6 Pagesa question today. 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Aristotle writesRead MoreEssay on Life’s Moral Character1063 Words   |  5 PagesCharacter Virtue is a state that decides consisting in a mean, which is relative to us; it is a mean between two vices, one of excess and one of deficiency. In the book, Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle uses his collection of lecture notes to establish the best way to live and acquire happiness. According to Aristotle, to live a happy life, you must obtain these to become morally good. Defining virtue and choice with the â€Å"doctrine of the mean† will guide our choices and build up moral character. WhenRead MoreEssay on The Doctrine of the Mean857 Words   |  4 PagesThe doctrine of the mean states that for someone to be a good person they must occupy the â€Å"golden mean,† meaning a person may become virtuous by acting between the extremes of excess and deficiency. For example during war, the two extremes would be for a soldier to be rash or cowardly, but being courageous is the accepted golden mean. According to Aristotle, virtue lies in between the two extremes, which are the vices, and thus a virtuous person is one who can find the mean that is relative toRead MoreThe Issue Of Animal Cruelty1023 Words   |  5 Pagesreason to be in existence. Everything must have an ends to itself rather than a means to another ends (Aristotle, 617-636). Aristotle examines the idea of function and purposefulness within the ten books of Nicomachean Ethics. Finding this ends to itself is how one can achieve the ultimate happiness. Aristotle discovers that if everything has an ends to itself, man too, must have an end. What does being a â€Å"person† really mean, and who is eligible to classify themselves as a â€Å"person†? How can one distinctively