Aristotle (384-322 B. C. ) was born in the Greek colony of Stagira in Macedonia. His father's name was Nicomachus, he was a learned person and your physician. Aristotle was brought up in a good atmosphere of learning under his daddy. Later, following the demise of his daddy, Aristotle went to Athens for studying under Plato. Corresponding to Aristotle, his works deal with theoretical sciences including his writings in physics, biology and astronomy. He also mentions his writing in practical sciences for example Nicomachean Ethics and in logic for example Organon. Aristotle was regarded as somebody who knew all the data available at his time. He was the first person in european civilization who gives a procedural and systematic account of subject matter of ethics. We now use his ethical philosophy.
Aristotle states that any human being investigation skill or science purpose at some thing, and that target is good. Now like the field of medication is aimed at healthy life, the field of shipbuilding is aimed at vessel building etc. Now considering these works there intermediate stage, of action or creation, has no value like this of there last aim. For example, practicing medicine you have to study, this is actually the intermediate stage of the final aim of drugs, which is healthy life. So in the field of medicine it is the final aim of healthy life that has the final price not the intermediate end i. e. gets education and practicing. He further argues that the aim of politics is the nice for man. The aim of politics at a broader view is the good of the town state.
Aristotle warns us against anticipating a high amount of precision in our study of politics science; it deals with the individual variable, since it entails sensible life of man which has different experience in case there is every individual. Thus, its subject matter is best dealt with by men of experience, not by young men who've but just a little experience of life.
Taking the exemplory case of political science he asks what could be its aim and of the other human being pursuits. The ultimate aim of political science, which include ethics and public beliefs, is good of man. Further contemplation leads us what to the concept of goodness. The overall agreeing position is, that the good is the talk about of human happiness. Aristotle further says that the majority of the men, i. e. the general masses and the men of wit and knowledge, would concur that good of man is enjoyment, nevertheless they would mostly are different in this is of pleasure because its interpretation is different from men to men. Now the duty forward is to explore a general agreeable so this means or interpretation of delight. In doing so Aristotle analyses the concept of chief good within an action.
Clarifying what's the principle good within an action, Aristotle exemplifies by declaring that all the fields of; drugs, crafts, warfare, are activities all with different ends or final aim as stated earlier. But they must have a final end. The finish of drugs is health, for warfare it is self-defense or offence etc. But what's there key good. The principle good in an action must be the final goal of action. It is because final objective is done for the sake of its own worth and importance not with regard to various other end. All human action is, as we realize from preceding assertion, human happiness. Happiness isn't just common to all or any human actions but also the ultimate end of most actions. Therefore, Main good of most action is the enjoyment of man.
Further prcising and qualifying the definition of joy, Aristotle says that the contentment has of two parts. First, is the 'activity of heart' which means the exercise of reason; and second, 'in accordance with reason' which points out the grade of performance.
To understand the idea of happiness on has to understand the nature of virtue, for understanding the type of virtue you have to determine the soul or heart. Aristotle says spirit or nature has two components the rational and the irrational part. The irrational dynamics is further sent out in the vegetative part accountable for nutrition and progress of the body; other is the appetitive part which includes some top features of rational area of the heart as well.
Now Aristotle changes his debate to the rational virtues of man. He says that logical virtues consist of intellectual and moral part. The intellectual virtue includes among other philosophical wisdom, understanding. The moral virtue includes functional wisdom that involves liberality and temperance. Intellectual virtues grow from inculcation of knowledge and coaching. While moral virtues happen because of this of behavior. For the moral virtues these are not endowed in man's dynamics. Rather they are acquired through the behavior by first practicing and then learning them. For example of all arts; builders becomes by building, a lyre player by playing the lyre, justice by doing justice. While intellectual virtues which can be natural features of man are possibly available to man, all he must do is by using them.
Discussing the moral virtues of man further, Aristotle explains moral virtue not only as a state of human persona but also as a quality which is its talk about. Virtue is human being state of personality which make a guy good and which allows him to undertake his responsibility fine. He now identifies the exact express, or nature of virtue, which is following a principle of mean. Mean in conditions of thing is same for many men between two extremes but in relative conditions the mean course differs for every one. Thus the get better at of any quest for life is preventing the extra and deficit portions in thought and action. Rather taking mean or the intermediate course not in goal but relative terms.
Hence moral virtue is mean associated with an action which falls between two extremes relative to us. This mean is a behavior of preference which is led by reason. Not every action or mind-set can fall season in the process of mean. All evil action like stealing or laying has no mean because there very characteristics is bad.
Now specifically speaking here are some examples of moral virtue. Regarding to Aristotle, "With regard to sense of fear and self confidence the mean is courage. With regard to pleasures and pain the mean is temperance. In regards to money loaning and borrowing the mean is liberality resting between prodigality and meanness. In regards to honor and dishonor the mean is pride which is placed between unfilled vanity and undue humility. Still with regard to anger there may be extra which is irascible and insufficiency which is at irascible the mean is good tempered. "
Turning the dialogue on the intellectual virtues he says that, the logical part of human heart and soul, the intellectual virtue has two main functions. The first function is to learn with certainty the guidelines behind natural trend, secondly to guide us an effective conduct in our daily lives. The first function is that of the philosophical intelligence. Whereas, the second function will involve the practical wisdom. Practical wisdom tells us how exactly we ought to action and how to regulate our wishes and passions in doing it. Here he parts ways with Socrates who assumed that the reason why guiding us to knowledge would ultimately help us engendering virtue. Aristotle promises that knowledge may give us understanding the happening or the truth of things or key points behind things but it generally does not always leads us to good deeds. For the inculcation of good figure practical wisdom is a must.
Aristotle has show that the pleasure of man lies in living a virtuous life. He further contributes that philosophical wisdom is superior to practical wisdom. This is because philosophical intelligence is proximate to raised form of enjoyment than that of practical wisdom. Here he argues for his point of view. Firstly the philosophical intelligence leads us to constant happiness. Second of all, it is perused as the ultimate cause not the intermediate end. Finally, he declares that philosophical wisdom can be an activity which will not depend upon any kind of events. Thus such an activity is self sufficient. Nevertheless, virtues such as temperance and courage, to become practiced, need various other individual or world. Fourthly, the sensible wisdom of the statesmen and a solider are indeed virtues works but there very character may lead to despair and misery, whereas philosophical intelligence is not restrained by such ill feeling and encounters. So among other virtues, moral virtues, which provide happiness in individuals life; philosophical intelligence necessary provides the highest form of joy.
Summary of the Aristotle philosophy of Virtue Ethics:-
Aristotle identified Virtue as a habit of choice, the characteristic which is based on the observation of the mean or of moderation (in accordance with the circumstances of the individual worried), as it is determined by reason or as the almost wise man would determine it. Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics, II, VI, 15.
According to Aristotle the virtue is of extra quality of persona. It is a habit of preference. It is not a mere habit but habit of choice. Choice corresponding to Aristotle is the deliberate desire of things in our power after thought of these by the intellect. Furthermore doing an action with the energy to choose and since an function of voluntary action is regarded as virtue. Whereas the action that is performed once or inadvertently is not virtue. Alternatively, the action should be achieved as habit of preference then it becomes a virtue. Thus the habitual performance of voluntary action is called virtue. It is a secondary quality of personality.
Aristotle discusses the idea of midsection or moderation. Virtue is undoubtedly a middle position between two vices. Courage is the center position between rashness and cowardice. Liberality is the middle position between extravagance and miserliness. In addition the, mean span of some action would depend on the circumstances of a person. For example, a soldier's courage ought to be proximate to rashness then that of the courage of the statesman.
This conception of the mean was consistent with the idea of 'temperance', propounded by Plato. However, Aristotle wished to determine with the more accuracy what a virtue ought to be. He tried to look for the limitations within which each virtue must rest according to the circumstances of an individual. Like wise he attempted to assign to each virtue a place of moderation would give it between two contrary vices. Reason all the for Plato for Aristotle, was the feature of an virtuous man. For Aristotle it was through reason that enables an individual to look for the middle course between to vices relating to his circumstances. Aristotle accepted that justice is a part of virtue but the whole in this he accepted Plato's view of the unity or harmony of the moral life.
According to Aristotle mean can be identified in two ways one of which is through reason and the other through the useful capability of the advisable man. The first way of evaluating the mean was constant with the view of his predecessor particularly Socrates and Plato, the ex - regarding through reason the best virtue, and the later through the philosophical understanding of the guardians which needed education in reasonable studies.
The second way of analyzing mean is really as prudent man would determine it. In this considered Aristotle unlike Plato stored the normal man in mind. The ability of the common man is not the theoretical capability of the philosopher however the practical ability of the man of experience. Furthermore, addititionally there is the simpler way of following example of those who have learned and exhibited their goodness in the working experience of life. Aristotle himself proven the ability of the sensible advisable man as that of building a sensible syllogism as contrasted with the theoretic syllogism of the philosopher. The major premise consists in the general moral rule; however it could be decided or obtained. The trivial premise is composed in the popularity that a particular action is the one that conforms to the general rule; and the final outcome is the carrying of the genuine action. The power of apprehending the rule and particularly the power of witnessing which actions comply with it are included by Aristotle in sensible wisdom, which is the grade of the wise man. In doing so Aristotle contained in the Socratic view, virtue is knowledge, the theory that there surely is another and even more useful kind of knowledge than the theoretic contemplation of the philosopher.
