Rationality and reason allow humans to devise complex systems of morality and self development, also know as virtue. Virtuous behavior is the product of rational thought and is in the foreground of human consciousness rather than animalistic survival tendencies. Primitive instincts of survival are even governed by perceptions of virtue. .
Aristotle then objectively defines what he agrees to be virtuous behavior. From the modern perspective, his claims are arrogantly definite, albeit mostly accurate to common western virtuosity. Adequate intellectual and moral development is necessary to fulfill these standards of virtue. Persistency is the key to maintaining a stable force of habit for which people instinctively learn the moral option. A sufficient grasp of various intellects allows a person to be in (apparent) full realization of his surroundings and more assertively independent. Superficially, these are the results of such behavior, but Aristotle believes of something underneath the obcious that exists but is not part of the physical realm. He believes that the soul, among its other functions, becomes consequentially more virtuous with each virtuous act. To clarify, Aristotle's usage of the word soul does not imply anything religious in nature, as the word conjures thoughts of religion and implications of the afterlife, but of one's developing subconscious with the precursor of cognizant choice.
Moderation between two extremes of self-necessity and desire is what Aristotle defines as moral behavior. Either an excess or a deficiency is incongruent with virtuous behavior and he stresses the importance towards total devotion to virtuous behavior. A great portion of the essay gives a blueprint on life, and it gives its readers an extensive list of human indulgences and misdeeds to avoid as Aristotle's not-so-subversive attempt to reform society. Some of his statements justly define virtuous behavior but others unfairly demonize commonly practiced human actions in order to bolster his essay with calculative, unnecessary evidence.
In Aristotle's Nicohmachean Ethics the term virtue refers to a state that exists within the soul. ... In conclusion, Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics is able to offer an explanation of how we justify our actions as moral and therefore how we should live. ...
Next, in Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics, happiness takes a different idea as he explains his theory. ... Even though I disagree with both theories of happiness to some degrees, there is no doubt that John Stuart Mill's concept of utilitarianism and Aristotle's ethics contributed to the human society as they provided theoretical insights into many areas of human life that deal with happiness. ...
Upon reading Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, I initially thought that human virtue was to be happy, to achieve happiness. ... On gaining a better understanding to Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics, I've found that in reality, human virtue is so much more than achieving happiness. ...
In his work, Politics, Aristotle attempts to delineate the nature of a political association, which would foster the accomplishment of the life goals described in his earlier work The Nichomachean Ethics. ... In The Nichomachean Ethics Aristotle asserts that " [t]he happy life is thought to be virtuous - (Ethics 262), and " justice is the greatest of virtues - (Ethics 108). ...
In his work, Politics, Aristotle attempts to delineate the nature of a political association, which would foster the accomplishment of the life goals described in his earlier work The Nichomachean Ethics. ... In The Nichomachean Ethics Aristotle asserts that " [t]he happy life is thought to be virtuous - (Ethics 262), and " justice is the greatest of virtues - (Ethics 108). ...
In both Ibsen's "A Doll's House" and Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, we see the controversial subject of morality versus the law. In Ibsen's story, Nora breaks the law in order to save her husband's life. In Taming of the Shrew, Lucentio lies to be able to marry the woman he loves. Should this be...
In book I chapter 11 of the Nichomachean Ethics Aristotle states that, "it seems, from these considerations, that even if anything whether good or evil penetrates to them, it must be something weak and negligible, either in itself or for them, or if not, at least it must be such in degree and kind as not to make happy those who are not happy nor to take away their blessedness from those who are....
Ethics are the moral principles that govern an individual's behavior and reasoning. ... Ethics can be applied to many controversial issues in modern society, such as abortion. ... This book was dubbed one of the foundational works on ethics. ... The views opposed to the deontological approach of Immanuel Kant are exemplified through Aristotle's ethics. ... In what is considered his most significant work 'Nichomachean Ethics', Aristotle outlined the notion of the supreme good or 'Eudaimonia', which is otherwise described as perfect happiness. ...
This comparison will make it possible to suggest ideas of virtue that may applied to ethics in a modern setting, such as a diverse workplace. ... In his Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle describes quite succinctly the different points that he feels are necessary to define such a character. ...
