Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, is one of the most significant intelligent figures in history. He was the writer of a scientific and philosophical system that became the basis for medieval Islamic philosophy and Christian scholasticism over time. Aristotle’s intellectual range was extensive, covering many arts, for example, chemistry, biology, history, philosophy of science, rhetoric, metaphysics, ethics, botany, and philosophy of mind.
Among others, the remaining works of Aristotle include Nicomachean ethics. This title partly refers to Aristotle’s son to whom the book was dedicated. It is generally viewed as the most significant and consists of a series of articles brought together. Aristotle’s approach to ethics is teleological. He argues that if something is the human good, it must be wanted for its own sake. According to his work, happiness is linked closely with pleasure. All creatures impulsively are likely to move toward satisfaction and away from pain. For example, the pleasures of drinks, sex, and food together with rational and aesthetic pleasures. Others prefer virtuous deeds on political scopes. The philosopher uses the word happiness to entitle the top human good. He reasons that happiness is an action of personality by virtue. Humankind must have a purpose because particular people like artists, for example, do. This purpose is unique to each person and therefore cannot include nourishment and growth because plants and animals also share these qualities. It involves the unusual human ability of reason.
Aristotle discusses virtues and vices. There are two types of virtues, namely, moral and intellectual. Examples of moral virtues include liberality, courage, abstinence, kindness, and good ambition. Liberality consists of appropriately giving away varying amounts of money, courage is about confidence during fear, abstinence entails not giving in quickly to pleasures and physical sensations, and kindness is about having exemplary character toward honor. For example, modesty is not a virtue but an appropriate character trait admired in the.
On the other hand, examples of intellectual virtues are understanding, expressed in contemplation and scientific endeavor, scientific knowledge, wisdom, and intuition. Wisdom consists of thoughtful reasoning, which is separate from human activities. Intuition and scientific knowledge entails calculative reason and helps us make maneuver in life. The philosopher also argues that virtues are a subject of people’s good qualities and are not innate but are acquired by practice and lost by lack of use. His account of virtue is a distinctive theory of ethics that contrasts with other types of systems and religious methods that are vital to the idea of moral law. The intellectual virtue of wisdom determines the mark of moral virtue expressed in formulating instructions for actions.
While these virtues are a means of passion, not every action is capable of virtuous means. Some, for example, murder and adultery, are actions with no proper amount because any amount would be too much (Kivle, 2020). Aristotle states that the virtues, apart from being involved with means of action and passion, occupy a middle ground between two contrasting vices. Hence, the integrity of courage is edged on one side by imprudence and the other by fearfulness. Virtuous action is always the result of practical reasoning, but this reasoning may be faulty in many ways. For example, an overeater may plan to live around always maximizing the present pleasure (Frede, 2018). Aristotle calls this ‘intemperate. He also writes about friendships, arguing that without friends, no one would want to exist even with all other goods. According to him, there are three types of friends, pleasant, valuable, and complete. Complete friends are the ones people should strive for. It is the kind that can see what is lovely in each other. Unequal friendships are not friendships, and societies obstruct the likelihood of genuine friendships. He says that an individual should first understand themselves before others since a friend is a second version of who they are. This is why it is challenging for a person to be happy without friends and why stressed and sad people are usually cheered p by friends. In his ninth book, he says that if one is a bad friend, then they expect from the other person what they cannot offer and vice versa, and so, they will never be satisfied, and it is better than the bond is broken as soon as they can.
Human activities aim at some end that we see as good, and most activities are a means to a more excellent end. Therefore, the most incredible human good is that which is an end in itself. Only voluntary actions are blameworthy, generated by the agent, and not from an external force like a stumble or a push. However, there are some borderline scenarios, like when someone is bound to do something dishonorably under threat. Voluntary actions are determined by choice and rational discussion, where the agent determines the best action to take to get a desirable finish. Aristotle argues that one might think they are good, but no one will believe them unless they show their goodness through actions. Thus, becoming a liar, a hypocrite, and a lousy person. There is no point in theoretically analyzing what is good or virtuous but to show and teach others to be good.
To conclude, ethics is now practical and not theoretical, as separated for deliberation by Aristotle. It not only contemplates good living because it also purposes to generate a good living. It takes a thoughtful stand that makes a foundation for virtuous deeds. Hence, in my opinion, the Nicomachean ethical system is rational and valid and will prove its worth for years to come and will be a guidepost for humankind in the future.
References
Frede, Dorothea. “On the So-Called Common Books of the Eudemian and the Nicomachean Ethics.” Phronesis 64.1 (2018): 84-116.
Kivle, Ineta. “Choice to Be Happy: Rhythm of Flourishing in Aristotles, the Nicomachean Ethics and Hanna Arendts, the Human Condition.” (2020).
write