Bryan Ponce
Philosophy 312
T & TH: 8:30-9:45
3/3/18
PHILOSOPHY ESSAY In “Aristotle and Business: Friend or Foe,” Miller states that Aristotle's argument was that any gainful exchange or trade, was essentially exploitative. Miller argues that Aristotle is wrong,by showing that not all market transactions violate Aristotle’s virtuous mean. My thesis is that Miller is right because Aristotle's criticism of economic exchange does not account for virtue theory which is right and wrong in condemning business dealings solely based on his moral theory of justice. Miller argues that most business practices are not necessarily unjust. What is up for interpretation are “the actions of a business person” their choices and how it “could be the expression of a moral virtue” (p.45). A “moral virtue” is the choice between behaving in the right manner and wrong manner. It also acts as a mean between extremes of deficiency and excess. Learning “moral virtue” is done mainly through practice rather than through reasoning and instruction. The …show more content…
The first principle is that “happiness” is the highest good for human beings. Second principle is that “happiness” consists in virtuous activity. Third principle is that virtue involves choosing a mean between extremes. Fourth principle is that justice is one of the virtues and analyzable in terms of the mean. “Virtue” is a state concerned with choice, lying in a mean relative to us. Happiness consists of activity of the soul following with reason. Human beings are virtuous when reason rules over their soul and keeps their desires and passions in check. The key point about the “virtuous mean” is that virtue consists in finding an appropriate middle ground between two extremes. Each virtue has not one opposite but two. For example, the opposite of greed is generosity and unselfishness. Now that we’ve explained the virtue theory and virtue let us move on to Miller and his
Philosophy 312
T & TH: 8:30-9:45
3/3/18
PHILOSOPHY ESSAY In “Aristotle and Business: Friend or Foe,” Miller states that Aristotle's argument was that any gainful exchange or trade, was essentially exploitative. Miller argues that Aristotle is wrong,by showing that not all market transactions violate Aristotle’s virtuous mean. My thesis is that Miller is right because Aristotle's criticism of economic exchange does not account for virtue theory which is right and wrong in condemning business dealings solely based on his moral theory of justice. Miller argues that most business practices are not necessarily unjust. What is up for interpretation are “the actions of a business person” their choices and how it “could be the expression of a moral virtue” (p.45). A “moral virtue” is the choice between behaving in the right manner and wrong manner. It also acts as a mean between extremes of deficiency and excess. Learning “moral virtue” is done mainly through practice rather than through reasoning and instruction. The …show more content…
The first principle is that “happiness” is the highest good for human beings. Second principle is that “happiness” consists in virtuous activity. Third principle is that virtue involves choosing a mean between extremes. Fourth principle is that justice is one of the virtues and analyzable in terms of the mean. “Virtue” is a state concerned with choice, lying in a mean relative to us. Happiness consists of activity of the soul following with reason. Human beings are virtuous when reason rules over their soul and keeps their desires and passions in check. The key point about the “virtuous mean” is that virtue consists in finding an appropriate middle ground between two extremes. Each virtue has not one opposite but two. For example, the opposite of greed is generosity and unselfishness. Now that we’ve explained the virtue theory and virtue let us move on to Miller and his