Objection To Aristotle's Experience Machine

Aristotle’s take on ethics is much different from any other philosopher. His view of ethics is very vague, do as the just man would do and for the same reasons as him. In saying this, Aristotle would reject Robert Nozick’s experience machine thought experiment. Though Aristotle’s ethics allow for less conflict that would come from a theory that contains rules, it is a problem that it is not very clear what one should do to be moral. Aristotle’s ethics are virtue ethics. This view states that in order to be moral, one must do as the just man would do and for the same reasons. Aristotle states that morality cannot be learned but it is innate and is a skill that must be sharpened with practice. Aristotle defends this view by saying that there is no clear-cut ethics. Everything should be taken on a case-by-case basis and by using the model of the moral man one is able to do this. Consequentially, Aristotle’s ethics would say not to get into the experience machine. The experience machine allows one to choose specific experiences they want to have but the person is plugged into a machine to experience it virtually. This would go against Aristotle’s ethics because one must do the right thing for the same reasons as the ethical man. Even …show more content…
Since the only guidelines are to just do as the temperate man would and do it for the same reasons, it may be hard for some to discern what is moral. This is a very vague rule whereas Mill or Kant have somewhat more structure. Mill’s principle says to do what will result in the maximum amount of happiness possible and to decrease suffering as much as possible. Kant’s says to act from duty, or will the moral law as a universal law. Aristotle’s just man is not defined and is essentially left up to each individual to figure out what the moral man would do. No one would be able to maintain what is morally right or wrong because there are no rules to