Week 2: Aristotle

Question 1

ETHICS FOR ARISTOTLE

Answer 1

• How should men best live?
• What is the highest good? –> Eudaimonia

Question 2

THE HIGHEST GOOD

Answer 2

• is self-sufficient
• is desirable for itself
• is not desirable for the sake of some other good
• all other goods are desirable for its sake

Question 3

TELOS

Answer 3

The highest good is the ultimate
purpose, or end.

Telos: goal, end, purpose, function

Goodness resides in the fulfilment of one’s telos.

Question 4

TELOS OF HUMANS

Answer 4

an active life of the element that has a rational principle.

Logos: Speech, structured thought, reason, ratio

Question 5

PRACTICING VIRTUE

Answer 5

Aristotle’s concept of ethical virtue:

• Ethical virtue is a tendency or disposition induced by habits to have appropriate feelings.
• Childhood exposure to situations requiring appropriate actions and emotions is crucial for its development.
• As autonomy increases, deliberative skills improve, refining emotional responses.
• Virtuous individuals find pleasure in exercising intellectual skills
• Once a decision is made, virtuous individuals do not face internal pressures to act otherwise.

Question 5

ETHICAL VIRTUES - Two parts of the soul:

Answer 5

• Rational
• Irrational
  Two parts of irrational soul:
• Completely without reason
• Not without reason

The excellence in the activities of the irrational part of the soul that is not without reason are the ethical virtues.

Question 6

ARETE

Answer 6

Arete: Excellence, virtue

“excellence displayed in the fulfillment of purpose or function (telos)”.

The meaning of “arete” is not an ethical one.
It changes depending on what it describes.

Question 6

SUMMING UP: EUDAIMONIA, TELOS, LOGOS, ARETE

Answer 6

The telos, the purpose of humans is an active life with an element of reason (logos).

The eudaimon life, which is the highest good, is a life where we perform our telos with excellence, with arete.
The eudaimon life is one where we perform the activity of reason in the most excellent way.

Question 7

THE GOLDEN MEAN

Answer 7

• Ethical virtues are golden means between excess and deficiency.
• Just like mastering technical skills, virtues involve finding a balance.
• For example, courage is the midpoint between cowardice and recklessness.
• Determining the mean requires careful consideration and rational decision-making.

Question 8

ETHICS AND DECISION-MAKING

Answer 8

• Aristotle: no ethical theory can offer a decision procedure
• Virtue theory focuses on understanding virtue, but applying it in specific situations relies on circumstances.
• There are no universal rules for every practical problem due to varying circumstances.
• Virtuous individuals excel in deliberation, using rational inquiry to determine the best course of action in each situation.
• Their expertise makes their perspectives authoritative and sought after in settling disputes and making decisions.