CHAPTER 1

Virtue Ethics:
Aristotle
 Objectives

01 02 03 04 05
Recognizing the Differentiate the Appreciate and Determine the Articulate the
meaning of parts of the soul in articulate the role role of habit in difference
eudaimonia or relation to their of virtue in the formation of between
happiness and its respective crafting an a virtuous philosophical
relation to ethics functions character
ethical life knowledge and
practical wisdom
Introduction
People are often most remembered by their
most significant character traits; these traits
are the product of a consistent display of a
particular behavior.

On one hand, characteristic traits such as

thoughtfulness, temperance, and respectfulness
are often seen in a positive light. While
characteristics such as cowardice, laziness,
and shamelessness are generally frowned upon
by most,
We develop our personalities through the
decisions we make in the numerous life
circumstances we encounter. Through the
continuous interaction of thought and action,
motivated by diverse circumstances that demand
one's decision, a person learns to identify with a
particular type of character or personality.

Personality or character is a strategy or a way of

calculating the various circumstances that one
faces or has to deal with in his or her life. It is a
means of navigating one's way to the
development of one's potential as a human
being.

Characteristics are not only a theoretical idea;

they are a result of constant behavior in the
world, a way of being that is shown by the
possession and actualization of particular virtues
or qualities.
Born in the Greek colony of Stagira in
Macedonia.

Aristotle served the royal family of

Amyntas ll, the king of Macedonia like his
father Nicomachus as tutor to the young
Alexander the Great

He studied in Plato’s Academy and

unanimously considered to be Plato’s
greatest student, with some scholars
saying he exceeded his mentor both in
depth and breath of knowledge
Aristotle
Aristotle’s philosophy was not an
extension of Plato’s but an attempt to 384-322 B.B.
“ground” Plato’s teachings.
 Wrote Nicomachean Ethics, which is generally seen as
being dedicated to his son Nicomachus. It serves as a
manual or guide for people who want to develop their
character in the pursuit of obtaining life's ultimate goal
(telos), which Aristotle defines as happiness or flourishing
(eudaimonia).

The good or purpose of the human person

PLATOS
can be found in another world which he
PHILOSOPHY
called “The World of Forms”

The proper good of human person is

ARISTOTLE’S
PHILOSOPHY
achievable in this world through the
practical cultivation of virtue (Arete)
Aristotle
Shares the fundamental assumption of his teachers, 384-322 B.B.
according to which the human being's capacity for
reason (logos) sets them apart from other forms of life.
Aristotle Believes that morality is more than simply
knowing what is right and doing it consistently

Once we comprehend what being human really

entails and take the required steps to perform our
function (ergon) in the best way possible, we may
completely realize our potential as human beings

This article elaborates the conditions under which

self-realization becomes a realistically attainable
objective and raises important ethical questions
about what is good and harmful for the human being
in regard to his ultimate aim of being fulfilled
Aristotle
His ethics is grounded in the formation of one’s
character a way of being/living in harmony with the
human persons proper end 384-322 B.B.
 Ethics as the Art of Living Well
Eudaimonia
Aristotle named the chief good for the human person as happiness or eudaimonia. For him,
happiness is the self-sufficient, final, and attainable goal of human life.

Self-Sufficient Final Attainable

It makes human life It is desired for itself It is not a mere theoretical

complete and not for the sake construct but something that
of something else one actually does
practically

Eudaimonia is sought for its own sake. All other ends like health, wealth, and power, are
sought because they are instrumental in one’s flourishing.

Eudaimonia, as the proper end of man is not an inactive state but is something that one
does. According to Aristotle “Eudaimonia is an activity of the soul in accordance with
virtue.” The chief good is not achieved by one grand act, for it is something one constantly
strives for
“One swallow does not make a spring nor does
one day. And in this way one day or a short
time does not make someone blessed and
happy either.”

Happiness is not mere self-indulgence or

pleasure-seeking for Aristotle, it denotes an
activity that essentially corresponds to the
proper nature of the human being.
 The Soul

Rational Irrational

The Speculative The Practical

(Responsible for (Responsible for The Vegetative The appetitive
Knowledge) Choice and Action)

Shares the rational

In charge of nutrition element in the soul,
and growth of the cant reason but does
In charge of action human being share in the rational
Concerned with pure
and the practical element in that in can
thoughts and is
determination of the E.G. be influenced by it
essentially the base of
proper means to attain Involuntary actions of E.G.
contemplation.
a specific end. the body like Passions, like sexual
breathing, digestion, urges, desire for
etc. wealth, and
recognition.
 Virtue, The Mean, and
Practical Wisdom
“One swallow does not make a spring nor does one day. And in this way
one day or a short time does not make someone blessed and happy either.”
Implies that happiness is a lifelong activity.

Moral
Moral virtue has to do with
excellence in the performance of
decisions relating to moral and
practical activity
Arises from habitual practice or
ethos.
Intellectual
While intellectual virtue have to
do with one’s capacity to harness
reason’s contemplative capacity
for arriving at knowledge.
Owes its existence and
development to teaching.

Aristotle places a strong emphasis on
the function of repetition and habit in
the development of moral virtue. No one
is born morally upright, but everyone
has the ability to become such if they
consistently carry out good activities
Similar to this, Aristotle asserts that we
develop moral virtue by engaging in
morally virtuous deeds. We become just
by carrying out just deeds, temperate by
carrying out temperate deeds, and
brave by carrying out brave deeds
As for moral virtues themselves,
Aristotle says that these are states of
character that enable a person to fulfill
their proper function as a human being.
These states of character are aimed at
an intermediary pointy between excess
and deficiency-in a mean (mesotes) that
can be considered as the appropriate
response to the demands of different
situations.
Virtue is a state of character that makes
a person good and capable of fulfilling
his/her end (telos) as a human person.
By a state of character, he emphasizes a
certain consistency or constancy in
one’s character in facing different
situations. Consistency is not stagnancy.
Arsitotle defines virtue as a state of ones
character that is the result of choice. Choice is
governed by prudence or practical wisdom
(phronesis). Phronesis is the human person’s
instrument in dealing with moral choices. A kind
of knowledge that deals with practical matters
and not just with ideas or concepts.

Phronesis is the intellectual virtue responsible for

bringing the human person closer to their chief
good in the realm of morality

Practical wisdom, aids in one being happy.

Composed of knowledge and action.
In the moral realm, one becomes courageous only thorough practice.
Reason guides one in calibrating the right degree of courage in facing a
situation where one’s life is being threatened. For Aristotle is not one
universally correct response to this situation that may apply to everyone
in all situation.

To choose either an excess or a deficiency constitutes a vice for Aristotle.

It is to under-perform or over-perform with respect to one’s function
(ergon) as a human being. It is to act in opposition to ones’s ultimate
goal, which is eudimonia.
 Contemplation and Philosophical
Knowledge
Aristotle identifies two main intellectual virtues:
phronesis (practical wisdom) and sophia
(philosophical wisdom).

Phronesis Sophia
assists individuals in is concerned with the
making moral choices pursuit of knowledge of
and guiding actions in first principles and
everyday life eternal truths
Aristotle considers contemplation (philosophizing) as the most
proper and pleasant activity for human beings, given our capacity
for reason
Contemplation is self-sufficient and pursued for its own sake,
revealing fundamental truths
Practical virtues like courage and temperance require specific
conditions, while philosophy can be pursued independently.
Contemplation is an act that can be loved for its intrinsic value
While contemplation is valuable, human life is mostly engaged in
practical matters and action
Phronesis (practical wisdom) still plays a crucial role in achieving
eudaimonia (happiness or well-being)
Virtuous practical conduct is cultivated through practice and habit
(ethos).
Living well involves a balance of intelligent conduct and a thirst for
philosophical wisdom
Conclusion
Ethics is a matter of living well through the habitual
practice of virtue which essentially translates into
having a virtuous or excellent character.
Eudmaimonia is an activity of the soul that
purposively attempts to choose the mean between
two extremes in the realm of morality.
A person of virtuous character always finds a way to
stay intact even in dire times. That person does not
compromise the dictates of reason in exchange for
the immediate fulfillment of his/her passions
A virtuous character is the result of the proper
combination of practical wisdom (phronesis) and
habituation (ethos) in the pursuit of the mean
(mesotes).
Thank
you