Analysis Of Aristotle's Doctrine Of The Mean By Aristotle

Superior Essays
Happiness relies on upon us. More than any other individual, Aristotle reveres happiness as a focal reason for human life and a goal in itself. Thus he commits more space to the theme of happiness than any scholar before the advanced period. Living amid the same period as Mencius, however on the opposite side of the world, he reaches some comparative determinations. That is, happiness relies on upon the development of virtue; however his virtues are to some degree more individualistic than the basically social virtues of the Confucians. Yet as we might see, Aristotle was persuaded that a truly happy life obliged the satisfaction of an expansive scope of conditions, including physical and in addition mental prosperity. Thusly he presented the thought of a study of happiness in the traditional sense, as far as another field of knowledge.
One of Aristotle's most
…show more content…
All things considered, every virtue has not one inverse however two. The inverse of strength is both defeatism and rashness, for instance. This thought that there are two opposites for each virtue conflicts with a significant part of the got wisdom of Aristotle's chance, including Plato's works on virtue. It additionally accentuates the significance of balance: we attain to virtue by discovering a center ground, not by going for an amazing. Where precisely this center ground lies, then again, is more subtle. Aristotle rehashes various times that his table displays just a harsh close estimation and that virtues lie more like one bad habit than another to diverse degrees for distinctive individuals (Coope, 2012). The Table of Virtues simply introduced is not planned as an arrangement of careful principles. Actually, Aristotle contends that a really upright individual will characteristically be slanted to carry on suitably and will have no need of

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    A Detailed Account of Aristotle’s Position on Happiness and why it is a Human Good According to Aristotle, happiness is an experience that is desired by all human beings. However, there are distinct views regarding what kind of life is considered happy. Aristotle provides readers with different types of lives that are believed to make people happy, including accumulation of wealth and a life of fulfillment that is characterized by comfort and pleasure. He also posits that a happy life is that which is pleasant.…

    • 823 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Aristotle's happiness, development to the peak in the ancient Greek period, is a comprehensive expression of classical thought. It has important significance to modern society, for the development of modern society in China has a very good point to effect. Aristotle's happiness is combining humanism and realism, is the summary of the values in ancient Greece. Aristotle think that happiness is a "good", "moral activities", the unity of the happiness is a personal happiness and city-states. To learn is a must to become a happy, make oneself become a man of virtue, with its own rational do moderately, to achieve a happy life.…

    • 180 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Even though Aristotle was not a direct student under Plato at The Academy, he became and developed into one of the most famous Greek philosophers. After his years spent at The Academy, Aristotle developed his moral of philosophy in his book the Nicomachean Ethics. In this book, Aristotle explains the origin, nature, and development of virtues, which are essential for achieving the best and highest good that human beings are capable of, which is happiness. According to Aristotle, happiness is defined as to live well and do well, where virtue is key, but alone it is not enough. In order to be happy, you need full virtue across a complete life, which means that you need to regularly perform all the virtues.…

    • 1602 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Happiness as by Aristotle means, “happiness depends on ourselves”. Aristotle felt that happiness was the central and reason to humanity. As well not just happiness but Aristotle had another thought, “virtue”, as explained in class virtue, meaning to have good morals and also good character. Being happy through ones lifetime, having good health, having healthy relationships and also being well off financially, having good knowledge and so on.…

    • 802 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    The view of happiness as well as the role that pleasures and desires play in achieving happiness can be seen throughout Western philosophy. Detailing a hypothetical dinner conversation between Aristotle, Epicurus, Hobbes, and Epictetus, will such an understanding be described. In such an account, I will be detailing: what issue/s each guest would raise; what thesis would each defend, and how each would respond to the other; as well as who is most likely to disagree with whom and on which points, and who, on the other hand, might find allies or sympathizers. Each philosopher defines/views happiness differently. Aristotle defines happiness as an activity of the soul in accordance to virtue and reason.…

    • 1449 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    In philosophy there are many stands to take when it comes to a view of topic shared and discovered by many. Specifically, there are three philosophers that have differing ideas on the role of pleasure in morality, Aristotle, Kant, and Mill. They share and clarify their positions through a plethora of titles and information that will help a reader gain a better understanding of the role of pleasure in morality. Though each philosopher has their own share of ideas of what the highest good represents, they all believe in morality being the search for the highest good. Aristotle begins with his description of happiness as fulfillment of all desires, in accordance with compliance of virtue.…

    • 1264 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    5). Aristotle introduces the concept of happiness in relation to the motive and purpose present for decision-making and choices. Happiness is associated to the good that ‘choice’ and ‘knowledge’ partially…

    • 848 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The ethical theories of both Aristotle and Epictetus, laid out in their books the Nicomachean Ethics and the Enchiridion, respectively, offer humanity insight into the most effective ways to achieve happiness and to exhibit virtue. Aristotle’s approach to happiness is that it must be looked at as the end to a means not as a means to an end. He feels that happiness should be viewed as the highest good within life. Although Epictetus agrees that happiness is the highest attainable good, he believes that the source of humanity’s misery is people’s inability to differentiate between what they can control and what they cannot. While both philosopher’s theories emphasize the importance of happiness and virtue in a person’s life, Epictetus’ view…

    • 1309 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Analyzing and Applying Aristotle’s Golden Mean Aristotle’s Golden Mean was summarized wonderfully by Christopher Brown, “Aristotle’s Golden Mean is the concept of the perfect medium between extremes” (Brown). According to Aristotle, moderation is a keystone of virtuous behavior. Moderation is relative to each person. Aristotle suggests that each person temper their own styles and extremes (Adler and Proctor II). For example, if a person was naturally easy to anger, then that person should strive to moderate their anger but not to eliminate it entirely.…

    • 1005 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Finally, I will conclude this essay with my own thoughts on happiness. Let us begin by analyzing the similarities and differences of happiness according to Aristotle and Seneca. Happiness for Aristotle is something that should be desired in and of itself. Meaning, we adopt relative goods or means to happiness because we choose these goods for the sake of…

    • 971 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Aristotle argues that certain things or conditions must be present to attain happiness, and in that “a certain sort of being-at-work of the soul in accordance with virtue” is required. I will argue that, for Aristotle, happiness cannot be the same as pleasure. However, we will see that happiness is importantly related to pleasure and pain, both in that the virtuous person comes to desire and finds satisfaction in acting virtuously, and in the sense that many of the virtues of character deal specifically with how we respond to our pleasures and pains. Since happiness is a certain way of being at work with virtues, Aristotle speaks of “virtues as pertaining either to thinking or to character”. Aristotle argues that all actions should point toward some good, as without virtue one cannot be happy, as the ability to be virtuous is unified within a good…

    • 1453 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Other virtues may be any of the following: Determination, Modesty, Bravery, Excellence, and Trust. A vice is the deficiency or the excess surrounding the virtue and its situation. For example, if the virtue is courage, then the vices would either be recklessness (excess), or being a coward…

    • 1098 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Like Augustine said, a person cannot totally rely on reason to help them achieve happiness. From a religious perspective, God is all-powerful, so we need his help to obtain overall happiness in our life. However, this does not mean that reason is completely disregarded. Aristotle argues that steps can be taken to ensure a happier life, through our moral growth and whether we chose to live our lives in moderation with the virtues that he sets forth or not. However, a fault with Aristotle’s thinking concerning his theory on moral growth is that he almost assumes that everyone wants to become a better person.…

    • 1228 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    1. What, according to Aristotle, is the relationship between happiness and virtue? Working to possess and exercise virtue is essential to achieve the highest degree of happiness. Virtuousness is a unique element of happiness in the sense that we can work to control it through our own habituation. This can be compared to the plethora of components that our disposition creates a predetermined outcome for, including the external and physical goods we desire. Aristotle expands on this idea, stating that when happiness, “...comes as a result of virtue and some process of learning or training, [it is] among the most god-like things; for that which is the prize and end of virtue seems to be the best thing in the world, and something godlike and blessed” (Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, 947).…

    • 770 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In this paper I will argue that pleasure and pain are imperative in the moral life. My main reason is that in order to live a moral life you must be morally virtuous, which involves pleasure and pain which are always paired with actions and feelings. The crucial importance of pleasure and pain and its role in the moral life are statements that are more likely to be true then false. Research Aristotle was a very influential philosopher who focused on the happiness principle and all that happiness entailed: “The Nicomachean Ethics”.…

    • 1866 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays