Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher, a student of Socrates, and the teacher and mentor to individuals such as Alexander the Great. His influence has spanned the cultures of the world for thousands of years (Shields, 2015). Aristotle contended that a virtuous life was the key to a happy life. For him, virtue was the mean between two extremes. A virtuous person, said Aristotle, was neither excessive nor depleted in his good characteristics and actions. One issue that Aristotle confronted in order to examine the issue of virtue was generosity. The issue of generosity provides an interesting case by which one may study and understand Nicomachean ethics. If virtue is the mean between extremes, we must then ask: can one be too generous?
Aristotle’s …show more content…
One of Aristotle’s key interests in his Nicomachean Ethics was to determine what is happiness and how is it achieved. Aristotle concluded that happiness is a life lived in accord with virtue. Virtue, then, is the intermediary between deficiencies and excesses. Any character trait or act, by Aristotle’s reasoning, exists on a continuum between excessive and deficient – both of which are vices. Since both ends of any character trait or act is a vice, and the aim is a happy life which is achieved through adherence to virtue, then it must be that the intermediary position is the virtuous one. Using wealth, Aristotle claims, consists of the spending and giving thereof; taking and keeping wealth is consistent with possession, not use (Irwin, 1999). The generous person is that person who gives within his means, and for the proper reason. If a person gave beyond their means and for the wrong reasons then they would no longer have any wealth to give. Additionally, the source of one’s wealth is important to Aristotle. The person who is generous in his or her giving to the right recipients should be vigilant about receiving their wealth from the right sources and in the right manner. An individual who steals in order to give is not virtuous. One, who receives honest pay and then gives it to worthy causes or recipients, inasmuch as he can afford to do so, is
Aristotle’s …show more content…
One of Aristotle’s key interests in his Nicomachean Ethics was to determine what is happiness and how is it achieved. Aristotle concluded that happiness is a life lived in accord with virtue. Virtue, then, is the intermediary between deficiencies and excesses. Any character trait or act, by Aristotle’s reasoning, exists on a continuum between excessive and deficient – both of which are vices. Since both ends of any character trait or act is a vice, and the aim is a happy life which is achieved through adherence to virtue, then it must be that the intermediary position is the virtuous one. Using wealth, Aristotle claims, consists of the spending and giving thereof; taking and keeping wealth is consistent with possession, not use (Irwin, 1999). The generous person is that person who gives within his means, and for the proper reason. If a person gave beyond their means and for the wrong reasons then they would no longer have any wealth to give. Additionally, the source of one’s wealth is important to Aristotle. The person who is generous in his or her giving to the right recipients should be vigilant about receiving their wealth from the right sources and in the right manner. An individual who steals in order to give is not virtuous. One, who receives honest pay and then gives it to worthy causes or recipients, inasmuch as he can afford to do so, is