Have you ever wondered what it means to be a virtuous person? According to one of the most influential philosophers in history, a virtuous person is someone who exhibits excellence in both reason and character.
But what does that really mean?
In this article, we’ll explore Aristotle’s ethical theory and his definition of a virtuous person. We’ll delve into the concept of happiness as the ultimate goal of human activity, and how virtues play a crucial role in achieving it.
So, if you’re curious about what it takes to be a virtuous person, keep reading!
What Is A Virtuous Person According To Aristotle
Aristotle believed that a virtuous person is someone who possesses both intellectual and moral excellence. This means that a virtuous person not only knows what the right thing to do is, but also has a deep emotional attachment to doing it.
For Aristotle, happiness is the ultimate goal of human activity. He believed that all our actions are aimed at achieving some end, but that happiness is the only end in itself. However, people have different ideas about what makes for a happy or good life, so Aristotle’s Ethics aims to find an answer to this question.
According to Aristotle, the supreme good is an activity of the rational soul in accordance with virtue. Virtue, in Greek, means excellence. A virtuous person is someone who performs the distinctive activity of being human well. Since our rationality is what distinguishes us from plants and animals, exercising our rationality is the supreme good.
Aristotle defined moral virtue as a disposition to behave in the right manner and as a mean between extremes of deficiency and excess, which are vices. Virtue is learned primarily through habit and practice rather than through reasoning and instruction. It is a matter of having the appropriate attitude toward pain and pleasure.
A virtuous person exhibits all of the virtues, which do not exist as distinct qualities but rather as different aspects of a virtuous life. Aristotle’s concept of the mean is often misunderstood – it refers to a state of clarification and apprehension in the midst of pleasures and pains that allows one to judge what seems most truly pleasant or painful.
Achieving good character is a process of clearing away the obstacles that stand in the way of the full efficacy of the soul. For Aristotle, moral virtue is the only practical road to effective action.
Aristotle’s Ethical Theory: An Overview
Aristotle’s ethical theory is a field distinct from the theoretical sciences. Its methodology must match its subject matter – good action, and must respect the fact that in this field many generalizations hold only for the most part. The principal concern of ethics is the nature of human well-being. Aristotle follows Socrates and Plato in taking the virtues to be central to a well-lived life. He regards the ethical virtues as complex rational, emotional, and social skills. However, he rejects Plato’s idea that to be completely virtuous one must acquire, through a training in the sciences, mathematics, and philosophy, an understanding of what goodness is.
Aristotle believed that what we need, in order to live well, is a proper appreciation of the way in which such goods as friendship, pleasure, virtue, honor and wealth fit together as a whole. In order to apply that general understanding to particular cases, we must acquire the ability to see, on each occasion, which course of action is best supported by reasons. Therefore practical wisdom cannot be acquired solely by learning general rules. We must also acquire those deliberative, emotional, and social skills that enable us to put our general understanding of well-being into practice in ways that are suitable to each occasion.
Standard interpretations of Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics usually maintain that Aristotle emphasizes the role of habit in conduct. It is commonly thought that virtues are habits and that the good life is a life of mindless routine. However, hexis is an active condition, a state in which something must actively hold itself. Virtue manifests itself in action. An action counts as virtuous when one holds oneself in a stable equilibrium of the soul, in order to choose the action knowingly and for its own sake. This stable equilibrium of the soul is what constitutes character.
Aristotle’s concept of the mean is also often misunderstood. The mean is a state of clarification and apprehension in the midst of pleasures and pains that allows one to judge what seems most truly pleasant or painful. Achieving good character is a process of clearing away the obstacles that stand in the way of the full efficacy of the soul. For Aristotle, moral virtue is the only practical road to effective action. The virtuous person sees truly and judges rightly, since beautiful things appear as they truly are only to a person of good character.
The Ultimate Goal Of Human Activity: Happiness
According to Aristotle, the ultimate goal of human activity is happiness. He believed that all human actions are aimed at achieving some end, but that happiness is the only end in itself. However, Aristotle’s concept of happiness is different from what most people think. It is not a temporary state of pleasure or a result of external goods such as wealth or honor. Instead, Aristotle defines happiness as the perfection of human nature, which depends on the exercise of reason.
For Aristotle, human beings are rational animals, and our happiness depends on the exercise of our reason. This means that we need to acquire a moral character and display virtues such as courage, generosity, justice, friendship, and citizenship in our lives. These virtues involve striking a balance or “mean” between an excess and a deficiency. Therefore, achieving happiness requires intellectual contemplation and the realization of our rational capacities.
Aristotle believed that happiness cannot be achieved until the end of one’s life, making it a goal rather than a temporary state. It is a state of complete well-being achieved through the practice of virtue. Virtue is not the end of life for it can go with inactivity, misery, and unhappiness. Instead, it is an exercise that requires constant and sustained effort. Aristotle claimed that we’re not born virtuous but become so through practice and habit.
The Role Of Virtues In Achieving Happiness
Aristotle believed that happiness is the ultimate goal of human activity, and that the only way to achieve happiness is through the practice of virtue. Virtue is not just about doing the right thing, but also about having a deep emotional attachment to doing it. In other words, a virtuous person is someone who performs the distinctive activity of being human well.
According to Aristotle, moral virtue is a disposition to behave in the right manner and as a mean between extremes of deficiency and excess, which are vices. Virtue is learned primarily through habit and practice rather than through reasoning and instruction. It is a matter of having the appropriate attitude toward pain and pleasure.
A virtuous person exhibits all of the virtues, which do not exist as distinct qualities but rather as different aspects of a virtuous life. Aristotle’s concept of the mean is often misunderstood – it refers to a state of clarification and apprehension in the midst of pleasures and pains that allows one to judge what seems most truly pleasant or painful.
Aristotle believed that virtues give us the power to have control over ourselves, to seek the things that we know will truly make us happy. When we’re mired in vice and sin, we lose our freedom. We’re enslaved by our own lower capacities and passion, so virtue gives us that ability to seek the things that are truly good for us, the things that will truly make us happy.
Achieving good character is a process of clearing away the obstacles that stand in the way of the full efficacy of the soul. For Aristotle, moral virtue is the only practical road to effective action. Therefore, if one wants to achieve happiness, one must cultivate virtues through habit and practice.
The Two Types Of Virtues: Intellectual And Moral
Aristotle believed that there are two types of virtues: intellectual and moral. Intellectual virtues are those that are learned through instruction and education, while moral virtues are learned through habit and practice.
Intellectual virtues include wisdom and understanding, which govern ethical behavior and scientific endeavor. These virtues are necessary for a person to have a good understanding of what is right and wrong, and to make sound decisions based on that understanding.
On the other hand, moral virtues are exemplified by courage, temperance, and liberality. These virtues are the foundation of a good life, as they enable a person to act in a virtuous manner. Aristotle believed that moral virtues sit between two opposing vices – an excess of that characteristic and a lack of it. For example, the virtue of courage sits between cowardice (a lack of courage) and foolishness or rashness (an excess of courage).
A virtuous person exhibits both intellectual and moral virtues. They possess the knowledge and understanding necessary to make good decisions, as well as the habit of acting in a virtuous manner. By practicing these virtues regularly, a person can become more virtuous over time.
The Importance Of Character In Becoming Virtuous
Aristotle believed that developing virtues and avoiding vices are central to becoming a virtuous person. However, the focus of his ethical theories is on developing virtues, avoiding vices, living well, and being a good person. Virtue ethics, as it is often called, emphasizes the importance of education or having a social environment that supports the acquisition of virtue as well as discussing how those of us who want to be better people can shape our own characters.
Aristotle believed that developing good character is a habit of behaving well. Good habits are typically acquired by repetition, whether we repeat these actions mindfully or simply by inclination; just as bad habits are acquired by repeatedly behaving badly. Thus, developing a good character takes practice.
A virtuous person possesses both intellectual and moral excellence. This means that a virtuous person not only knows what the right thing to do is but also has a deep emotional attachment to doing it. Virtue is learned primarily through habit and practice rather than through reasoning and instruction. It is a matter of having the appropriate attitude toward pain and pleasure.
Aristotle defined moral virtue as a disposition to behave in the right manner and as a mean between extremes of deficiency and excess, which are vices. Virtue is developed by finding the right balance between excess and deficiency in our actions.
Examples Of Virtuous Behavior According To Aristotle
Aristotle believed that virtuous behavior is characterized by a balance between excess and deficiency. For example, courage is the mean between the excess of rashness and the deficiency of cowardice. A person who exhibits courage is not reckless, but also not overly fearful. Similarly, generosity is the mean between the excess of extravagance and the deficiency of stinginess. A generous person is not wasteful, but also not miserly.
Another example of virtuous behavior according to Aristotle is honesty. Honesty is the mean between the excess of boastfulness and the deficiency of self-deprecation. An honest person does not exaggerate their accomplishments, but also does not downplay their abilities.
Aristotle also believed that a virtuous person exhibits friendship and kindness towards others. This means that they are willing to help others in need without expecting anything in return. They are also able to forgive others for their mistakes.
In addition, Aristotle believed that a virtuous person is self-controlled and disciplined. They are able to resist temptation and delay gratification in order to achieve long-term goals. This means that they are able to make rational decisions based on what is best for them in the long run, rather than giving in to immediate impulses.
Overall, according to Aristotle, a virtuous person exhibits a balance of intellectual and moral excellence in all aspects of their life. They are able to make rational decisions based on what is best for themselves and others, while also exhibiting kindness, self-control, and discipline.
