What Does It Mean According To Aristotle Mean

In order to achieve this final, we need to live a virtuous life according to the Golden mean, which is finding the middle grounds of the virtues we live by. Aristotle explains that we should continuously act in accordance with virtues, which are acquired from our upbringing and experiences. Because Aristotle believed in teleology, he said that by aiming our actions toward an end (happiness), our souls need to work in the way of excellence.

There are a few big questions that are behind Aristotle’s ethics, those are, “What kind of life is worth living?” “How should I live?” and “What would a good person do in a certain situation?”. If you can not tell from those questions, Aristotle’s ethics were based mainly on what kind of people we are and what kind of people we should be, not like many ethical theories and ideals that are based on actions and decisions. Aristotle focused greatly on the telos, which is the goal or the end because he believed that you could get a greater understanding by looking at the telos. A great way to view the telos of someone or something is to look at what it in the present and then try to figure out what it will be in the future or what it has the potential

“But virtue, like Nature itself, is more accurate and better than any art; virtue therefore will aim at the mean; - I speak of moral virtue, as it’s moral virtue which is concerned with emotions and actions, and it is these which admit of excess and deficiency and the mean. Thus it is possible to go too far, or not go far enough, in respect of fear, courage, desire, anger, pity and pleasure and pain generally, and the excess and the deficiency are alike wrong; but to experience these emotions at the right times and on the right occasions and towards the right person and for the right causes and in the right manner is the mean of the supreme good, which is characteristic of virtue.” (Aristotle)

In this essay we will discuss and analyze Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Mean. This topic area can be found in Book II, page 888, 6—15, through 890, 25. The purpose for Aristotle touching on this subject matter was to discern the states of character which are virtuous from those which are not. By this, I mean he is attempting to categorize which virtues are causal of a human “to be in a good state and to perform their functions well”(888—15). In order to keep this paper orderly and comprehensible, we will work in chronological order through Aristotle’s variety of premises and conclusions which lead to his main idea which is ––––––––––––.

It was Aristotle’s belief that everything, including humans, had a telos or goal in life. The end result or goal was said to be happiness or “eudaimonia”. He explained that eudaimonia was different for each person, and that each had a different idea of what it meant. Further, he said that people must do things in moderation, but at the same time do enough. The theory, of “the golden mean of moderation” was the basis to Aristotle's idea of the human telos and concluded that living a virtuous life must be the same for all

This is developed during the discussion of virtue in book II of The Nicomachean Ethics. The Doctrine of the Mean originates from two teleological arguments that inaugurate the structure of Aristotle’s moral philosophy: the function reason for virtue and the relapse argument that stands for eudemonia. Aristotle’s The Nicomachean Ethics embarks on the stance that all arguments must in due course be directed towards a single end. This single end is called eudemonia. With comparison to all inferior ends such as pleasure, nobility, and intelligence, eudemonia is pursued for only itself and is autonomous and whole. Although eudemonia is something that can eventually be attained, it should not solely be viewed as an ‘end-goal’. It is a vigorous standing which accompanies good deeds. It is something to be developed over a period of time and preserved. The status should eventually be attributed to life in its entirety. This can be reiterated by one of Aristotle’s eminent sayings: “one swallow does not make a

Aristotle was born 384 BCE in Stagira, Ancient Greece to Nicomachus, his father, and Phaestis, his mother. His father worked as a court physician for Amyntas III, while much is unknown about his mother. Both died while Aristotle was a young child, so he spent most of his early childhood being raised by Proxenus, who was married to Aristotle’s older sister Arimneste.

Aristotle begins to question what is good? The good is explained to differ in different activities and arts, but shares a common ground because it appears to be for the sake of how things are done; a means to an end. Aristotle uses the example of medicine; its mean is to end in health. However, there are many different ends and humans chose some of them, as a means to something else, therefore not all ends are final ones. That which is chosen never as a mean to something else proves to be more final than that which is chosen for itself and something else. Therefore, Aristotle justifies that the mean that is always chosen for itself and not for means of something else is called the final. Aristotle uses this definition and applies it to happiness, since happiness is always chosen as an end in itself and never for the sake of something else. The thought of honor, pleasure and virtue being chosen as an end for itself may apply but can be assumed they lead to happiness as a means to an end.

trange; that was the only word to describe it. Aristotle’s eyes widened as he quickly leaped off his bike, making his way towards the abnormality. The peculiar flower caught his interest; he had never seen anything like it. He wandered off into this field not too far from his house, on a quest for flowers. However, this was not what he expected. This flower was such a beauty, it did not belong on Earth. Excitement flickered in his eyes. Aristotle was still in the early stages of becoming a botanist, but he knew almost too much about plants. A gleeful laugh escaped his lips, and he wasted no time in uprooting the flower from its spot. His hands shook with delight as he placed the flower in the basket of his bike, that previously occupied the ground. His legs burned when he raced home, his smile shined brightly in the afternoon sunlight.

The previous passage shows then that the appetites or desires of corrupted people should not be taken into account while discussing the moral quality of an individuals’ actions. Aristotle’s definition of mean, which is having certain feelings “at the right times, about the right things, towards the right people, for the right end, and in the right way”, clearly states that there is only one right answer to any moral dilemma faced by an

Aristotle suggests politic science is the master science and all other science guiding people to what they should and should not do. Politic Science envelops all science and help mentor individuals to the ultimate good.•

Hello Ladies, You’re quite right. Times are changing. What is happening in our society? I might be able to shed some light, but I must take you back to ancient Greece for a moment.

The word “entertain” in this context means to be open minded and ask questions. Aristotle is conveying that when someone discusses a topic, others should listen with an open mind and try to understand the speaker’s perspective. One might not accept the speaker’s argument, but they should still listen and understand. An educated person, who is knowledgeable about various topics and could relate or understand the correlation between the topics is more likely to “entertain” than someone who is not that educated and as such has limited knowledge. Such less educated people, might become very divisive and not even “listen” or entertain other people’s views. Whereas an educated mind will “entertain” a point of view and will either accept it or

Aristotle describes the "mean" as the perfect amount of something needed for ourselves. Anything that passes the threshold of "excess" or "deficit" in regard to the "mean" will leave a detrimental effect on us. Everyone has their own mean, but the detrimental effect of going over/under their mean is still in effect. One of the simplest examples from my own life involves the amount of time I take studying. It is clear to see how not studying enough will have a negative effect on one's life, but is it possible for someone to over-study within a certain window of time? And the answer is yes, you can certainly study to the point where you will start doing more harm than good for your understanding of the curriculum. Just like many aspects of the

Aristotle found that this task was nearly impossible because people have vastly different personalities and view circumstances differently. With the Doctrine of the Mean, Aristotle explains that to achieve happiness, one must create ethical values that are a balance between virtues and craft.