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Therefore, the starting point of Aristotles seven step method is to start reflecting on your own experience. The philosophers are like contemplative gods. The result is eudaimonia; the condition at which any human being aims. Aristotle has to assume that we desire to act in accordance to orthos logos until the virtue of phronesis is developed. Philosophers can reform the politias good by making demonstratively true first principles the laws of the city.
Aristotle then uses the Anaxagorian principle, the seen provides a glimpse of the unseen. The genitive plural substantive adjective shows that the subject matter of the book is of (or about) things having to do with ethos. The intellectual virtue of theoretical wisdom is demonstrative proof of what is Good. Humans actively participate in ergon (work) which is the proper function of the human through action. The Good has the logical attributes of being final and self-sufficient.
Ergon has four parts: 1) Vegetative actions having to do with nutrition and growth. If The Good needed something else to accompany it it would no longer be the highest good, rather the subsequent good added to it would be the superior good. That goal is regarded as good. By analogy he brings this concept to the soul which is unseen. Phronesis, which is practical judgment, is the capacity which deliberates on the best way to bring about The Good. Rather the principles act as imprecise guidelines to help us begin to make apt choices in particular situations. Ethos is the result of two things; a) an arche (principle) and b) a hexis (active condition of the soul).
Book 1, which acts as a prelude, is a microcosm of Aristotles method and reflects the ethical life. The mean is another reasonable political principle which Aristotle sets down as an outline to guide our action. Aristotle, the theorizing philosopher, is setting down an outline of political principles so that we, the potential philosophers, can guide our actions and learn to become good. Aristotles method demands that one proceed methodologically from experience to arche. When the action is deliberate the human has an intentional goal in mind. Theorizing the arche will come about after we achieve the ethical virtues.
Aristotle sets down orthos logos as a desirable political principle for guiding our action. Ergon is a mixture of both action and reasoning. If we have been educated well we already have a degree of prudence in our souls. Good character results from regularly repeated action guided by Aristotles political principles; principles which we can verify by experience, understand and accept with right reason, and then prove with the virtues of theoria and phronesis once they are attained. Logical Summary of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics books 1-4As a title the Nicomachean Ethics works at two levels.
He only acts according to the politias definition of the good and rely on the philosopher who can prove The Good by theoria. This is the best possible human life. In order for a human being to become good he must satisfy all four ergons in accordance with the virtue particular to each. Ethos is character. Ethos is a stable condition of the soul making someone apt to choose in a consistent way. Because phronesis is an intellectual virtue which develops after the ethical virtues, Aristotle makes an assumption methodologically. 2) Sense perception and desire which cause actions of aversion and want; (natural slaves only live to the first two ergons). The observation you extract is that every human acts.
This is our proper function. Unlike the mean arithmetically, the soul's mean is imprecise. Character consists of ones manners, choices, moral decisions, actions and modes of speech. Eudaimonia is synonymous with The Good; it is final and self-sufficient. Aristotles aim in the Nicomachean Ethics is to teach us a method we can apply to discover episteme (scientific knowledge) of the most sovereign architectonic which is politike (political science). Ethicon is the genitive plural form of ethikos, which is the adjective form of ethos. The good regime is one which allows its citizens to pursue and acquire their natural excellence. 3) Rational deliberation/choice; action in obedience to reasonable, conditionally deduced conclusions; (statesmen and citizens live in accordance to the first three ergons).
This in turn will bring about a good ethos in us. The soul feels pleasure in doing so. The benefit of doing something advantageous is also pleasurable. Aristotle argues that eudaimonia is some being-at-work of the whole soul in accordance with all the virtues which endures throughout human life and fulfills our characteristic capacity as thinking beings (Sachs Glossary). Since an ethos is made up of a hexis which both causes and is caused by actions, the Nicomachean Ethics teaches us about the process of causing action. It is formed in the following way: political principles derived from the arche form a hexis (an active condition in the soul) by the souls regularly repeated action. The characteristic activity of seeking knowledge defines what a human is. The observable fact from our experience is that all humans act; this is human.
Aristotle states that this project does not aim at contemplation; instead we study in order that we might become good. Eudaimonia is therefore an activity of virtue. By starting with material things which are quantifiable and seen he defines the arithmetic mean as being the median between two extremes; a deficiency and an excess. Therefore all human action tends towards The Good. 1) Nicomachean tells us that this work is not Aristotles but lecture notes compiled by Nicomachus.
The question raised from the subject matter is how various kinds of regularly repeated actions cause a good Ethos. Ethos tells us a lot about the subject matter of the book. The work is pedagogical. This knowledge equips us with demonstratively true political principles with which we can deliberately guide our repeated actions in a consistent and proper way with the purpose of forming our own soul into a hexis of virtue. The formation of good character requires the repeated choice of the right action which is impossible without practical judgment.
The second part of the title is 2) Ethikon. The fourth ergon is the work of the philosopher who seeks episteme of politike. When we achieve the desired result of our action, pleasure is included in perceiving the beautiful result. For every virtue there is an excess, a mean, and a deficiency. If eudaimonia is the highest good of the human, then in order to understand the properties of eudaimonia we must understand its object. Subsequently a hexis, once formed, causes further repeated action.
Note please that our actions are not deduced from a set of Aristotelian rules. (1103b 26-32) Ultimately, this work teaches us how to discover and live the best possible human life. They are the arche of the political principles of the politia. What then is human. Therefore self-knowledge of one's excesses and deficiencies is necessary for achieving the virtue as mean condition in the soul. A statesman doesnt theorize about what is good.
It shows us what Aristotle thought philosophic education should be, and is Aristotles training regimen for the virtuous soul. Everyone has their own particular extremes with varying degrees. The excess and deficiency are vices, a virtue is a mean condition. There are virtues of action and virtues of thinking. Another principle of causing virtuous actions is the relation of action to pleasure. The highest good of the human is an activity of the whole soul in conformity with all the virtues.
A hexis causes the consistent actions of ethos. One must engage desire and right reason to achieve the mean in action. If we can answer this question of what a human is we can understand what eudaimonia is. 4) The work of using human reason to acquire knowledge of the arche. There is a difference between the mean in the soul and the arithmetical mean. Virtues fall into the genus of natural potential, brought about by action according to the mean accompanied by pleasure.
The analytical king has spoken on ethics. He gives the student rational tools to build an autonomous ethical structure that has no ancient non-biblical rivals. There are many nonsensical and even immoral notions about women and practical ethics, yet for a man lacking direct revelatory insight, he advances ethical truth to assist those who attempt to deny the God with absolute aseity but desire to live a self-willed moral life.
"We reach our complete perfection through habit." Aristotle says we have a natural potential to be virtuous and through learning and habit, we attain them. Socrates said same the thing. Socrates thought that all virtues are instances of intelligence or Phronçsis. Happenstance is a matter of chance. I recommend Aristotle's works to anyone interested in obtaining a classical education, and those interested in philosophy. I read this book for a graduate seminar on Aristotle. A long interesting list.
Like a musical virtuoso. "Intrinsic good" for him is "Eudemonia=happiness." This is what ethics and virtues are for the sake of the organizing principle. Part of the "good life" involves external goods like money, one can't attain "good life" if one is poor and always working. Hexis= "state," "having possession." Theoria= "study." The idea is not to know what virtue is but to become "good." Emphasis on finding the balance of the mean. 2.Relevant emotion or capacity. The practically wise person is somebody who knows how to live in such a way so that their life will turn out well, in a full package of "goods." For Aristotle, Phronçsis is not deductive or inductive knowledge like episteme; Phronçsis is not a kind of rational knowledge where you operate in either deduction or induction, you don't go thru "steps" to arrive at the conclusion.
It is relative to us individually. Eudemonia=happiness. You can have ethics without religion for Aristotle. Ethical virtue is ethical excellence, which is the "good like." In Plato, ethics has to do with quality of soul defining what to do instead of body like desires and reason. Learning by doing is important for Aristotle.
Such as risk of losing one's life. In the animal world, biological beings react to pleasure and pain as usual. Each virtue involves four basic points. Socrates says if you know the right thing you will do it, Aristotle disagrees. Aristotle is one of the most important philosophers and the standard that all others must be judged by. Ethics is not precise; the nature of subject won't allow it.
Such as money is good, so one can buy food to eat because "eating is good." In moral philosophy distinction between "intrinsic good" vs. Difference between benevolent acts and a benevolent person. Aristotle surmises that the highest form of happiness is contemplation. All Aristotle's qualifications are based on individual situations and done with knowledge of experience.
Truly virtuous people do not struggle to be virtuous, they do it effortlessly, very few people in this category, and most are in #2 and #3.2.Ethical strength. For example--one should eat 3,000 calories a day. "instrumental good." Instrumental good towards a desire is "instrumental good" like money. This is the critique against Socrates idea that "Knowledge equals virtue." No one can knowingly do the wrong thing.
Phronçsis is going to be that capacity that power of the soul that when it is operating well will enable us to turn out well and that is why it is called practical wisdom. Happens in real life.4.Vice. Being raised well is "good fortune" a child can't choose their upbringing. Ethical weakness is not a full vice either. My way of organizing it, it is Phronçsis that is a capacity that enables the virtues to manifest themselves. We know what is right thing to do but struggle with our desires.3.Ethical weakness.
Virtue can't be a separate or individual trait. Pleasure is a condition of the soul. The distinctions between continent and incontinent persons, and moderate (virtue) and immoderate (not virtuous) persons is as follows:1.Virtue. Such as courage as the "mean." No formal rule or "mean" it depends on the situation and is different for different people as well. Instrumental good means because it further produces a good, "intrinsic good" is a good for itself, "for the sake of" an object like money. Idea of nature was thought to be fixed in Greece convention is a variation.
The way he thought about character of agent, "thinking about the good." In addition, Aristotle talked about character traits. The person acts without regret of his bad actions.What does Aristotle mean by "fully virtuous". What does "good" mean. I think Aristotle's ethics is his most seminal work in philosophy. Humans as reasoning beings must pursue knowledge to fulfill human nature. Pleasure cannot be an ultimate good. Important concept for Aristotle, good upbringing for children is paramount if you don't have it, you are a lost cause. It is not a feeling for Aristotle.
Therefore, Phronçsis is a special kind of capacity that Aristotle thinks operates in ethics. To be good is how we live with other people, not just focus on one individual. Then it becomes habitual like playing a harp. In Aristotle's Rhetoric, he lists several ingredients for attaining eudaimonia. Virtue ethics is the characteristics of a person that will bring about a certain kind of moral living, and that is exactly what the virtues are. Such as fear and pain. Today we think of happiness as a feeling. It must be pleasurable to seek knowledge and other virtues and if it is not there is something wrong according to Aristotle.
If you have good character, you don't need to follow rules. Thus, money is an "instrumental good" for another purpose because it produces something beyond itself. It is a retrieval of Aristotle. Aristotle does not think you have to have a reasoned principle in the mind and then do what is right, they go together. Aretç=virtue, in Greek not religious connotation but anything across the board meaning "excellence" high level of functioning, a peak.
What he means is ethics is loose like "wealth is good but some people are ruined by wealth." EN isn't formula but a rough outline. Thus, Socrates denies appetites and desires. For Aristotle these are not two separate entities. Nothing in his EN is about the afterlife. Aristotle criticizes Socrates idea of virtue, virtue is not caused by state of knowledge it is more complicated.
The virtues are capacities of a person to act well. These are the higher pleasures and so you may have to put off lower pleasures for the sake of attaining "higher pleasures." Phronçsis= "intelligence," really better to say "practical wisdom." The word practical helps here because the word Phronçsis for Aristotle is a term having to do with ethics, the choices that are made for the good. Area of inquirery for EN is "good" this is his phenomenology. Humans are not born with the virtues; we learn them and practice them habitually.
3.Vices of excess and vices of deficiency in the emotions or the capacities. Socrates said material goods don't matter, then he always mooched off of his friends. Such as cowardice is the excess vice of fear, recklessness is the excess deficiency.4.Virtue as a "mean" between the vices and deficiencies. He doesn't believe in the universal good for all people at all times like Plato and Socrates.
When you become a "good person" you don't think it out, you just do it out of habit. In the early 1960's virtue ethics came to fore. Good qualities of a person who would act well. Well depends on the health and girth of the person, and what activity they are engaged in. Means towards these ends. Only if you understand what Aristotle means by phronesis do you get a hold on the concept. Aristotle does not deny pleasure is good; however, it is part of a package of goods.
Basic issue is to find the "mean" between extremes; this is how Aristotle defines virtues. The law is the social mechanism for numbers 2, 3, 4. Best translation for eudaimonia is "flourishing" or "living well." It is an active term and way of living for him thus, "excellence." Ultimate "intrinsic good" of "for the sake of." Eudaimonia is the last word for Aristotle. Some things are not able to have a "mean" like murder and adultery because these are not "goods." Akrasia= "incontinence" really "weakness of the will. He suggests good means "a desired end." Something desirable. 1.Action or circumstance.
It is common for the hoi polloi to say pleasure=happiness. There are different virtues, but it is the capacity of Phronçsis that enables these virtues to become activated. Learn by doing according to Aristotle and John Dewey. It has very close parallels to the ancient Chinese philosophy of Confucius and the modern philosophy espoused in the 1970's called Communitarianism.For Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics, (EN) is about human life in an embodied state. Ethical strength is not virtue in the full sense of the term. This is akrasia incontinence. All of the virtues can be organized by way of this basic power of the soul called Phronçsis.
What are the virtues. Phronçsis is the capacity of the soul that will enable the virtues to fulfill themselves. Can also mean fulfillment. Aristotle understands that people do things that they know are wrong, Socrates denies this. Prosperity, self-sufficiency, etc., is important, thus, if you are not subject to other, competing needs. As a human being, you have to face choices about what to do and not to do. Continence.
A truly virtuous person is their own moral compass.
Unreadable. The difficult made impossible. A curiosity. A long way from English. Many sentences, long and short, like, "So let these things have been spoken of just this much." Page 9. The footnotes are somewhat clearer than the text.
Joe Sachs has done a remarkable thing in bringing this text -- easily one of the most important philosophical works ever written -- to life. I'd always said, in response to student complaints, something like: I know that the book itself, in style, is kind of boring and dry, but the subject matter could not be more important so try and look past that. I've read and taught the Nicomachean Ethics several times in translation, and working through it this time with Joe Sachs' exceptional translation is what for the first time brought the urgency and interest of the text alive for me. As if that weren't enough, he has also written an excellent and very short introduction to the text that goes a long way towards overcoming many of the commmon misunderstandings of Aristotle's ethics, especially misconceptions tied to the Latin influences on translations of the text. With this translation, I didn't need to say that. You feel the urgency and importance of the subject in the writing itself. Without any effort to give a "definitive" and inevitably partial account of the text as a whole, he confines himself to addressing three central concepts -- habit, the mean, and the noble -- shows how these have led many readers of the text astray, and points readers towards the passages in Aristotle that can overcome or resolve some of the basic misunderstandings (incidentally, one of these misunderstandings is evident in another review of this translation by FrKurt Mesick, and I can only assume he either didn't read the intro, or he disagreed with it in favor of more standard "textbook" interpretations of Aristotle, or that he is commenting on another translation and just happened to include his review under this one). Along the way, Sachs shows that the common reading of Aristotle as a kind of reformed or anti-Platonist is just false -- and that Aristotle's ethics is richer and more compelling than is usually thought precisely because of the elements of Platonism that Aristotle wisely retains.
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