Every capability and every action is a pursuit of some good. According to Aristotle, “Every craft and every line of inquiry and likewise every action and decision seems to seeks some good, that is why some people were right to describe the good as what everything seeks. But the ends that are sought appear to differ; some are activities, and others are products apart from the activities (Nicomachean Ethics, 1).” The goods that are sought out are the ends. Aristotle believed that an end was more complete if it was pursued for the sake of itself rather than for the sake of something else. He believed that happiness was the highest good for human beings. The highest good seemed to be happiness because we choose it because of itself and not for
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There are two kinds of virtue: virtue of thought and virtue of character. These virtues are qualities of the mind and character, which enable us to behave in the correct way and as a mean between extremes of deficiency and excess. They are not necessarily actions, but they ensure that our actions will be of the correct kind. When our actions occur naturally from a virtuous and moral disposition, we are said to live in agreement with virtue. A person’s excellence is based off their ability to live in agreement with virtue. Virtues of character/morality are habits, which can be improved or perfected. Each individual is born with the potential to be virtuous by character or morally virtuous. However, we must teach and train ourselves to be morally virtuous. This requires practice, just as any skill requires practice. We must coach ourselves to behave in the correct manner that we teach ourselves to be morally virtuous. Because virtue of character arises from habit, it is clear that none of the virtues of character arise in us naturally. It is evident that something cannot be done both by habit and by nature because we learn by habit what does not come to us naturally. By nature, we are able to acquire these virtues and through habit we are able to complete them. We first activate the virtues in order to acquire them. Then, we must habitually do the actions in order to be considered virtuous. For example: we
There are two kinds of virtue: virtue of thought and virtue of character. These virtues are qualities of the mind and character, which enable us to behave in the correct way and as a mean between extremes of deficiency and excess. They are not necessarily actions, but they ensure that our actions will be of the correct kind. When our actions occur naturally from a virtuous and moral disposition, we are said to live in agreement with virtue. A person’s excellence is based off their ability to live in agreement with virtue. Virtues of character/morality are habits, which can be improved or perfected. Each individual is born with the potential to be virtuous by character or morally virtuous. However, we must teach and train ourselves to be morally virtuous. This requires practice, just as any skill requires practice. We must coach ourselves to behave in the correct manner that we teach ourselves to be morally virtuous. Because virtue of character arises from habit, it is clear that none of the virtues of character arise in us naturally. It is evident that something cannot be done both by habit and by nature because we learn by habit what does not come to us naturally. By nature, we are able to acquire these virtues and through habit we are able to complete them. We first activate the virtues in order to acquire them. Then, we must habitually do the actions in order to be considered virtuous. For example: we