How Does Aristotle Define Moral Virtue In Nicomachean Ethics Essay
1. Describe/explain the life of Socrates. (Special attention: Why didn’t he write anything?)
Socrates was born in Athens, Greece around 470 BC. In the time, he was well known for his conversational and teaching skills but he never actually wrote anything so everything we know about his life comes from the texts of his students Aristophanes, Xenophon and the most famous one, Plato. It is impossible to know why Socrates never wrote anything, but some conclusions can be made from the texts his students wrote. Socrates lived in a time of oral tradition because paper and books were hard to find and afford and most of the teachings and business were done through speaking instead of writing. There is also an indication that he didn’t want to write anything or that his students wrote anything because he wanted them to create their own thoughts and knowledge out of his teachings, because writing and reading instead of
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The philosophical life/life of study –intellectual contemplation which responds to our rational side. It means to naturally have the interest and curiosity because for Aristotle the education is the cultivation of the character.
10. How does Aristotle define moral virtue in Nicomachean Ethics II, 1107a1-3? Explain the various parts of this definition.
Virtue, then, is (a) state that decides, (b) consisting in mean, (c) the mean relative to us, (d) which is defined by reference to the reason, (e) i.e., to the reason by reference to which the intelligent person would define it.
(a) Aristotle claims that each virtue is a state of character that influences decision-making. It 's a character trait or tendency, a disposition (to make certain decisions, behave in a certain way, etc.) (1106a20)
(b) Virtue must constitute a middle ground between two extremes: an excess and a deficiency (1107a4)
(c) But the mean may not be the same for everybody, as arithmetic means are (1107a7)
(d-e) Mean is where prudent person would put it. (person possessing common
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