Philosophy Exam 3-Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics

Look at the chart for Excess (Vice) Mean (Virtue) Deficiency (Vice)

Look at the chart for Excess (Vice) Mean (Virtue) Deficiency (Vice)

What are the 4 causes? [everything that exists has four causes; a cause is anything that contributes to the common being of something]

1. Efficient Cause: that by which a thing is made. 2. Material Cause: the out of which a thing is made. 3. Formal Cause: that into which a thing is made--the shape and style of something that is brought from an idea. 4. Final Cause: that for the sake of which a thing is made--the product that comes from the idea and its reason for existing. The final cause is the most important cause because the person needs to know the end goal of the idea/object to not lose the purpose of the action--it is the guiding principle.

What is the difference between apparent good and good?

1. Good: A real good is something that is good according to natural law (correctly reasoned goods that help the moral agent achieve their telos). 2. Apparent Good: An apparent good is a mistake, and it diminishes a person's human nature (wrongly reasoned goods that don't help the moral agent achieve their telos given purpose). "For the excellent person then, what is wished will be what in reality is good, while for the base person what is wished is whatever it turns out to be that appears good to him."

What is Eudaimonia? (What are Aristotle's 2 definitions of happiness?)

1. Happiness: Human happiness or flourishing or "Good Spirit." Humans experience happiness and the emotion feeling of being happy. With eudaimonia there is peace of soul/clear conscience where unhappiness does not connect with pleasure and pain. 2: Complete well-being: relates to the activity of soul in accord with right reason. The soul has spiritual parts/layers. There are certain aspects of the a person's life and soul that are disordered and happiness can only be reached when the aspects of their life is in order with the parts of the soul. Happiness [Eudaimonia], then, is apparently something complete and self-sufficient, since it is the end of the things achievable in action.

Which one is harder to do?

1. To suffer with those who suffer: According to Aristotle "Suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears great calamities with cheerfulness, not through insensibility but through greatness of mind." Suffering is hard, however, everyone experiences suffering. No matter who you are--regardless of your identities, political affiliation, age, or income--you will suffer in this lifetime. It is easier to associate with the pain of others as the person can be empathetic and understand the suffering of the other person. 2.To rejoice with those who rejoice: to rejoice is to feel joy or great delight. Sometimes, the rejoicing part comes easily. Other times, it is so difficult that it hurts. Sometimes, other people's joy causes us pain.

Three types of friendship

1. Utility: those who love each other for utility love the other not in his own right, but insofar as they gain some good for themselves. Not true friendship so it is easily dissolved. 2. Pleasure: the same is true of those who love for pleasure; for they like a witty person not because of his character, but because he is pleasant to them. No true friendship so it is easily dissolved. 3.Complete friendship: the friendship of good people similar in virtue; for they wish goods in the same way to each other as they are good, and they are good in their own right. These types of friendship require time to grow and are rare and not coincidental. The wish for friendship can be quick but friendship itself can't. This friendship is enduring because virtue is enduring. True friendship that only ends when one person becomes vicious and makes the friendship impossible.

4 types of people (example of a judge)

1. Virtuous: virtue goes with happiness and vices goes with unhappiness. This person is not even tempted by a bribe and finds it repulsive because they love goodness and truth. Being a just and good judge brings this person happiness. They train themselves to judge with reason. Don't have to struggle with appetites because their appetites are in harmony with reason and make decisions with little effort. Examples: Mother Theresa, Gandhi, Oscar Romero. 2.Continent/Enduring: tempted by the bribe but is not vicious or virtuous. Does not fall into the bribe and ends up doing the right thing. Usually win battles with their appetites. Don't covet too much pressure. Must struggle and experience some pain in doing the right thing. Will usually make a good choice. Can withstand fear, painful emotions, and difficult times. Example: Colin Powell. 3.Incontinent/Soft: tempted by the bribe but is not vicious or virtuous. Falls into the temptation and accepts the bride. Overwhelming weakness for pleasure. Aversion to pain-soft. Usually will make a wrong choice. In turmoil-reason is somewhat aware of what is good. Often error because passions are out of sync with reason. Causes pain. Examples: Lindsey Lohan, teen who gave the judge the finger is sent to jail. 4.Vicious/Self-Indulgent: full of vice and injustice. Let's the guilty person free and accuses the innocent person. They do it for bribes and get a sick pleasure from causing harm to the innocent person and seeing the happiness of the guilty person leaving. Don't struggle with emotions and desires. Do bad with little or no regret. Usually friendless. Seek, out other people so they don't have to be alone with themselves. Examples: Hitler, Stalin, Jeffery Dahmer, Al Capone, venue closes and leaves brides in the cold.

How do we become virtuous?

1.Habit/Individual Actions (Habituation) [activity; Aristotle talks about how individual just and moral actions are part of kind of virtue] 2.Fine Upbringing 3.Inspiration/Role Models (Fathers/Friends) that are just and temperate people 4.Legislators/Law (MLK reading and Nuremberg/Nazi trial statements that state the ideals of obeying just laws that go in accordance to the natural/eternal law and breaking the law that are unjust because not everything that is legal is right) 5.Learning/Teaching [virtues of thought can be taught but virtues of character cannot be taught in the strict sense] 6.Common good 7.Fortune/Fate 8.Having some "external goods/prosperity" 9.Knowledge [our examination is not only to know what virtue is, but to become good]

Aristotle's definitions for good?

1.Individual good: highest individual good for each person--Eudaimonia and health of the soul. Individual good consists in human flourishing—the fulfillment of the human's purpose—which is the right and natural thing for humans to do. On this teleological view, the good stems from objective facts about human life and purpose. 2.Contested good: is a good which when participated in diminishes; when used they go away. There are contested because people spend their life collecting such goods for themselves which is not virtuous. 3.Common good: For Aristotle, the common good is constituted in the good of individuals. It is a good which when participated in it becomes more of it and not less. This can include the ideas of love, sharing and goodness that can be shared. It goes in the sense of community when its functional goodness helps all the individuals participating in it flourish.

Aristotle's types of virtues

1.Virtue of thought: just knowing something, knowing about virtue which takes time to learn. Can be taught. 2.Virtue of character: "being something," having virtues or vices in the soul that appear by the actions that we do. Cannot be taught in the strict sense. "I can know about being generous with one's life by reading a book about Mother Teresa of Calcutta. After reading the book, I can be inspired and also do some actions [helping the poor for a summer] or I can put the book on the shelf and do nothing [or the opposite].

What are the different reasons people need friends during life?

1.virtue 2.more important that the necessities of life 3.rich/powerful--need friends for two reasons: [1] someone who is wealthy needs friends to help and be good to and [2] because they can be in danger of getting robbed and true friends can help them protect their wealth/property 4.poor: friends are their only refuge because people are vulnerable and they want someone to be with them to provide support and protection. 5.old/suffering: friends are their only refuge because people are vulnerable and they want someone to be with them to provide support and protection. 6.young: need friends that protect them from making errors/mistakes 7.those in their prime 8.parents-children; members of the same species; the family of humankind: there is a natural friendship between parents and their children. People have a natural affinity for the same species--the whole human race is a kind of familial friendship 9.friendship is universal as proven by travel

What is virtue?

A habitual and firm disposition to do good

What is friendship?

A significant relationship between two people that is based on trust, caring, and consideration. Aristotle marvels at friendship and he believes that it is something to be amazed at as it has beauty and it is necessary in life for no one will choose to live without friends even if they possess everything they wanted--without friendship life is meaningless. According to Aristotle, friendship is the reciprocated good will that leads to the good will of the other, a friendship needs to be reciprocated. 1. To inanimate objects this is impossible for 2 reasons--can't have friendship with inanimate objects because you can't will the good for the object; the person wishes its preservation so they can use it/have it; there is no mutual wishing well (inanimate objects cannot do that). 2.To a friends--wish well for the friend's own sake. If reciprocated, then friendship exists. If not reciprocated, you only have goodwill towards another but not friendship. Enemies, unknown people, neighbor (love of neighbor): none of these are friendships because they don't have reciprocated good will, they can be loved not friendship exists. Aristotle raises philosophical questions about friendship and he begins by going through all the different time in our live when we need friends. These initial philosophical questions about friendship are: 1.Are similar or opposites friends? Both kinds? Both can be friends 2.Can vicious people even be friends? No 3. Is virtue to some degree required for friendship? yes, people should strive for virtue because vicious people cannot be friends Love--is to will the good of the other

Can we knowingly do wrong?

Aristotle believes that people can know something is wrong and do it anyway because if someone does what he knows will make him unjust, he is willingly unjust and vice is voluntary. The claim that 'no one is willingly base or unwillingly blessed would seem to be partly true and partly false. According to Aristotle, everyone seeks happiness but we can be mistaken about what will truly lead to happiness. We can choose a bad action by mistake, but we are capable of choosing the wrong thing knowing that is wrong for self interest--people choose to do bad even when the person knows better. "But someone may say that everyone aims at the apparent good, and does not control how it appears, but, on the contrary, his character controls how the end appears to him. Therefore, each person is responsible for his own state [character] and therefore is responsible for how the end appears." Socrates thinks that when people do bad they are always doing apparent good, so he believes that no one can knowingly do wrong.

What is Teleogy?

Comes from Greek word "telos" means end, goal, consequences;actions are ethical if produce good consequences;consequences are primary. It is the ultimate end goal of something. Aristotle stated that everything has a plan within it that unfolds throughout its life as its ultimate goal. Aristotle wanted to find the "telos" of human beings which he later determined to be "Eudaimonia" or happiness which means "Good Spirit."

Why should legislators be concerned about friendship?

Legislators have an interest in friendship among their people more so than justice. Aristotle gives an important place to political or civic friendship. Friendship is even more important than justice since it generates concord in the city. In all communities of exchange, this sort of justice holds people together and reciprocity preserves cities. According to Aristotle, it is thought to be the special business of the political art to produce friendship, and people say that excellence is useful because of this, for those who are unjustly treated by one another cannot be friends to one another.

What is Plato's analogy to explain the soul?

Plato compared the soul to a person driving a chariot pulled by two flying horses. One horse is beautiful and noble; it wants to soar into heaven. This horse is our finer spirit. The other horse is ugly and bad. This horse represents our base nature, driven by passions and irrationality. The soul is our rational self, trying to keep control between these two horses pulling in opposite directions.

Are pleasure and happiness the same thing?

Pleasure is emotional in nature, and often depends on the five senses, while happiness is different, it is an inner sensation. In pleasure the emotions and feelings are active. In a state of happiness there is calmness and peace. Aristotle separates pleasure as "Hedonism" [seeking pleasure all life] and happiness "Eudaimonism." No matter how many pleasurable superficial things a person had they might not ultimately reach happiness because this one is a deeper level. Happiness does not connect with pleasure. A person can also be in pain and suffering [opposites of pleasure] and still be happy.

What is the importance of politics/political science/legislation according to Aristotle?

Political science is the practical science par excellence. It is the architectonic science, Aristotle argues, that its is concerned with the human good, or happiness, generally, and therefore the one that orders all other sciences, such as medicine or farming. Political science is concerned for the individual good and the common good. Ethics and political science find the good for individual and for community. Aristotle states that political science focuses on virtues and the politician studies the soul. Legislation is the science that allows for all of the knowledge regarding the end. The goal of legislators should have a need to be virtuous people and make other people virtuous and to find the right balance between individualism and community in society. Goal: to create a city/country that it is a common good that helps all the individuals grow in virtue. "For we took the goal of political science to be the best good; and most of its attention is devoted to the character of the citizens, to make them good people who do fine actions. The legislator makes the citizens good by habituating them, and this is the wish of every legislator; if he fails to do it well he misses his goal. Correct habituation distinguishes a good political system from a bad one."

What does Aristotle say about slander in friendship?

Slander is the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation. The friendship of good people is the only one that is immune to slander. Good people believe the best about each other and they do not speak ill of each other. Among the other types of friendship (pleasure and utility) distrust easily arises. 1.Detraction: the type of slander that occurs when the person knows something bad about the person that is true and tell it to everybody. Sharing a bad trait with someone else is not bad when it helps in the protection and well-being of the person. 2.Calumny: making up a lie/false statement about the person that is not true and spreading those rumors with the intend to ruin their reputation

What is Aristotle's 4-part description of the soul?

The soul according to Aristotle is the main driver in Plato's analogy and follows reason. The soul has 2 main parts that are not physical and each part has 2 subparts: 1. Rational: if this part of the soul is in charge, the person will reach happiness and there will not be disorder. This is the part responsible for reason. Its virtues include theoretical wisdom, understanding, and practical wisdom. a.Scientific: contemplative truth b.Deliberative: practical wisdom/prudence; goodness 2.Irrational/Non-rational: a.Nutritive: the part that takes care of the things in the body that require no thinking [respiration, digestion] because the soul gives life to the body [more biological]. This is the part responsible for nutrition and growth. It has no share in reason and is therefore not directly relevant to the virtues. b.Appetitive: "the wild horse," relates to feelings of appetite, hunger, sleep. Appetite violates reason and fights against the rational parts of the soul. It is the person's desires that take over reason. However, we must remember that it is part of being human and it is good for the soul once it is tuned to function closer to and at the same level of reason. This is the part that governs desire. It "partakes of reason insofar as it complies with reason and accepts its leadership." It is partly rational (because it can be trained to follow reason) and partly irrational (because it is not itself a faculty of thought). Its virtues are the "moral" virtues such as temperance, courage, truthfulness, and so on.

What is the relation between friendship and justice?

There is a relationship between justice and friendship--if people are friends they have no need of justice, but if they are just they need friendship in addition for protection against harm--there are more laws and police when there is no friendship between people.

Aristotle theory of virtue

Virtue ethics is a philosophy developed by Aristotle with a character-based approach to morality assumes that we acquire virtue through practice. By practicing being honest, brave, just, generous, and so on, a person develops an honorable and moral character. Aristotle defines virtue as the average, or 'mean,' between excess and deficiency. Basically, he says, the idea of virtue is ''all things in moderation.'' Humans should enjoy existence, but not be selfish. They should avoid pain and displeasure, but not expect a life completely void of them. By striving to live this virtuous life of moderation, human beings can find happiness and, therefore, be ethical. Morality or being ethical cannot be achieved abstractly, meaning it cannot only be based on someone's beliefs. Ethical behavior requires behavior by individuals in a social environment. Pleasure and pain are indicators of virtue and vice. If you are not virtuous, then virtue is painful and vice is pleasant. This is why it is difficult to become virtuous. On the other hand, if you are virtuous, then virtue is pleasant and vice is painful.

Which of these are virtues and which is not and why?

[To become virtuous the person has to participate in virtuous actions. It does not come naturally or by feeling.] 1.Feelings: "we are angry and afraid without decision...but the virtues require decision" NOT VIRTUOUS. There is a feeling dimension to the virtue in which people are responsible for, but these feelings just happen to the person. 2.Capacities: we just have (are born with) these; part of our nature. We do not become good or bad by nature. NOT VIRTUOUS because they are just things that the person is born with and the person does not have to work on to improve or participate in. 3.States: virtues are neither feelings nor capacities, they are states and so are vices. VIRTUOUS. The state of the soul, the character traits and colors of the person's souls. They are virtuous because they describe the person's character.