1. In light of Aristotle’s analysis of virtue and/or Plato’s analysis of virtue, what would be, in your view, four core Canadian moral virtues? Give a short explanation for your choices Aristotle describes moral virtue as being the mean of extreme shortage or extreme abundance. It is not usually taught but appears through a person’s habit. A virtuous person lives by the doctrine of the mean. The mean in this case is the balance all the actions that can be done or feelings that can be felt by a person. The first Canadian moral virtue is kindness. Kindness is something that is seen in almost every Canadian. Whether it be by holding the door open for strangers or being courteous to everyone they meet, this virtue is thoroughly expressed. Secondly, …show more content…
Explain with your own original examples, Aristotle’s doctrine of the four causes.
The four causes that Aristotle mentions are the material cause, the formal cause, the efficient cause, and, lastly, the final cause. Each cause helps to answer the question “Why?” in different forms. The material cause is the raw substance that forms an object or a thing. It is the essence of the product and without it the product would not be available. An example of this can be the material cause for a blanket. Cotton is used to make it and because of this, it is the essence of the product. The formal cause gives reason as to why a certain material is what it is. Without form, a ball of cotton could not be a blanket. Someone cannot compare a blanket with gathered cotton because it is not the same thing even though both materials are cotton. The efficient cause is the answer to what did that. Something that causes change or stability is the efficient cause. The blanket is made by a person interweaving the cotton is the source of change. The final cause is supposed to answer why this material exists or was made. In the example of the blanket, it was constructed with the idea to keep the person wearing it
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The purpose of this doctrine is to teach people that extremes need to be avoided when it comes to virtue. It can have a negative effect on a person if they are furious or if they are incredibly happy. Both can cloud a person’s judgment and cause something bad to happen. That’s why according to the doctrine being calm is the mean. Finding and achieving the mean is also relative. People experience and see things differently because of a number of reasons. Environmental factors, upbringing, and just a person’s biological wiring affects what the mean is. The doctrine also suggests that a person that is truly virtuous never act within the extremes and always avoids being in that position. However, reaching this place where a person is not inclined to act out takes a lot of instruction and teaching one’s self. If a person who was truly virtuous was to get into a car accident instead of being overcome by anger or happiness that he is alive, he would internalize all the natural emotions brought up and present and calm demeanor. When he is able to conquer his urges or expressing emotions that lie at the extremes, it is possible to say that he is truly
Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, first introduced virtue ethics as a method to describe how a good person should act. As such, virtues play a major role in every profession including engineering. Virtuous engineers make better decisions throughout the design and analysis of any component, item, or system. This paper begins with a description of Aristotelian virtue ethics followed by a discussion on the virtues I have gained while at Texas A&M University, virtues needed as a mechanical engineer, and methods of expanding these virtues.
Aristotle and Plato both said that there are four "natural virtues": Justice, Prudence, Temperance, and Fortitude. These values are all necessary to achieve human flourishing. Another key part of Aristotle’s ethic is what he referred to as ‘The Golden Mean’. He believed that a virtue can not necessarily be viewed as a virtue when it is used in excess. For example, courage is a virtue, but in excess it becomes rashness, a vice rather than a virtue. Moreover, when there is a lack of a certain virtue, this is also considered a vice. Aristotle's ethic is based primarily on balance. There cannot be too much excess or too little of the virtue. Thus, he said: "The mean [i.e. the balance] is successful and commendable. Virtue then is a state of deliberate moral purpose consisting in a mean that is relative to ourselves, the mean being determined by reason, or as a prudent man would determine it.”
I believe virtue is anything that may be advantageous in one’s own way. It may be good, it may be bad in
According to Aristotle, intellectual virtues belong in the ‘rational’ fragment of the soul and moral virtues lie in the ‘irrational’ measure of the soul However, they are both dependant on reason. Although Aristotle recognised many virtues, he was an advocate for the notion of the existence of only four cardinal virtues. His proposal proved to be popular in the society that he lived in, being acknowledged by Plato and other bodies. The four cardinal virtues are: courage, a virtue which ensures control in the interest of goodness, temperance, a virtue which diminishes wants and desires by limiting them to reason, justice, the only virtue that consists of expressing care for other beings. A human that possesses the virtue of justice has the ability to practise this virtue on other human beings and not solely on themselves. The final and one of the most important virtues is prudence, a logical virtue of practical reason by which we separate the good and the methods of achieving it. Aristotle accentuates that virtues are pragmatic skills and hence experience guides us towards becoming more dexterous in avoiding deficiency. Although familiarity with the vices as extremes supports us in our aspiration for the mean, the wider connotations of the doctrine is that only through experience will we as humans come to know the right pretences and
Aristotle believes that there are two kinds of virtue, one being intellectual and the other being moral virtue. He states that Intellectual virtue comes from being taught meaning we’re not born with it. Moral virtue on the other hand we develop as we grow and gain an understanding of life. “The stone which by nature moves downwards cannot be habituated to move upwards, not even if one tries to train it by throwing it up ten thousand times” (N.E. II.1) Right there he is talking about how if you are designed to do one thing, it is impossible to do the opposite no matter how hard you force it. He talks about how we gain our virtues by practicing them and using them on a regular basis. That is how we learn
Explain Aristotle’s theory that (moral) virtue is a mean or median. According to Aristotle, virtue is a mean. Virtue is a mean in a way that it is in between a lack and an excess of a certain property. Aristotle claims that the right way to virtue is to find the middle between the good and the bad of a particular action.
Jesus, a Jewish man, lived around two thousand years ago, under the Roman Empire, and Aristotle, on the other hand, lived over three hundred years earlier, in ancient Greece. Though centuries apart, both men greatly influenced Western thought and morality, even through today. It would surprise one to hear than a person had never heard of either figure. While they may not have had the same worldviews, experiences, or religious beliefs, their conceptions of virtue and excellence would not conflict.
Aristotle gave two ways virtue can be obtained, the ways in which humans acquire virtue. “Virtue of thought and character.” Mostly virtue is obtained from habit, “virtue of character” which is ethical. It can be through moral principles, knowledge, or socially, which completes us as humans. It becomes a habit, when see the habit every day or been taught about it, from a young age. We work towards this behavior and act upon that virtue as a lifestyle. “Virtue by contrast, we acquire, just as we acquire crafts, by having first activated them” (285). Just like the phrase “practice makes perfect,” it is a virtue if we keep on to it, doing the same thing over again and believing in that which brings happiness.
Pleasure plays an essential part in Aristotle’s philosophy of living the virtuous life. Throughout his book “Nicomachean Ethics”, Aristotle outlines how one must live to achieve the moral, virtuous life. Not only does he explain the many virtues, and how they should be applied to life but also delves into how pleasure plays a part in this as well. Aristotle makes the argument that pleasure and pain are linked to living the virtuous life, the reactions humans have to these two, must be examined through practical wisdom to determine how it applies to if a person is living the virtuous life.
In our society today, we are mostly challenged by two questions: ‘is it right to do this or that? And ‘how should I be living in society?’(Bessant, 2009). Similar questions were greatly discussed in the history by our ancestors in their philosophical discussions. The most ancient and long-lasting literature on moral principles and ethics were described by Greek philosopher Aristotle. He had an excellent command on various subjects ranging from sciences to mathematics and philosophy. He was also a student of a famous philosopher. His most important study on ethics, personal morality and virtues is ‘The Nicomachean Ethics’, which has been greatly influencing works of literature in ethics and heavily read for centuries, is believed to be
In Book II of the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle discusses the idea of moral virtue. Aristotle emphasized the importance of developing moral virtue as the way to achieve what is finally more important, human flourishing (eudaimonia). Aristotle makes the argument in Book II that moral virtue arises from habit—equating ethical character to a skill that is acquired through practice, such as learning a musical instrument. However in Book III, Aristotle argues that a person 's moral virtue is voluntary, as it results from many individual actions which are under his own control. Thus, Aristotle confronts us with an inherently problematic account of moral virtue.
you ask what the virtues are, it is likely you would be told that we
Socrates’ sense of virtue, as established in Plato’s Apology of Socrates, Crito, and Symposium collectively, revolves around the pursuit of wisdom, knowledge, and justice, all in an effort to benefit the soul rather than the physical body. Given that this oftentimes contradicts standard values of honor and beauty, Socrates is targeted by many of those around him who oppose his ideas and ways of thinking, especially since the youth begin to criticize the elders’ concern for the trappings of honor and beauty rather than for interior virtues. Unlike Socrates’ case, Aeneas’ sense of virtue complies with the standard societal definition, emphasizing pietas, or respect for the gods and dedication to family and community. In his efforts to
In Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics he accounts that humans should make sacrifices and should ultimately aim first and foremost for their own happiness . In the paper I will argue that it is really in a person’s best interest to be virtuous . I will do this by first describing Aristotle’s notion on both eudaimonia and virtue , as well as highlighting the intimate relationship between the two . Secondly I will talk about the human role in society. Thirdly I will describe the intrinsic tie between human actions . Finally I will share the importance of performing activities virtuously .
Trough ancient Roman times, virtus was a specific virtue of one who showed a great deal of valor, courage, and dedication (online source). However, it was up to the individual whether or not to exhibit and use those characteristics that shape a true man. Some may ask what virtue means and how virtue can be described as having a positive trait and or personal quality that is of moral excellence (Merriam-Webster). Some of the most important virtues that were depicted within these readings include the aforementioned ideal systems of pietas, Epicureanism, and stoicism. Throughout this paper I will describe and relate to Virgil’s “Aeneid,” along with the texts Ovid’s, “The Tale of Midas” and Petronius, “The Banquet of Trimalchio.” Also, I will show you that wealth, a pleasure and extreme greediness, is troublesome to the ancient Roman culture.