Aristotle: every virtue is the golden mean between two extremes

Published 13.06.2024 | By Йосиф

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Aristotle: every virtue is the golden mean between two extremes, each of which is a vice.

Aristotle was an extremely influential philosopher from the Classical period of philosophy, remaining in history as the first philosopher to create a complete philosophical system.

Combining ethics, aesthetics, politics, metaphysics, logic, and science, Aristotle explores a vast number of philosophical themes, among which stand out those of faith in the senses, human virtues, happiness, reasoning methods, God, oratory, and friendship.

Ironically, during his lifetime Aristotle alternated periods of popularity with periods of unpopularity among his contemporaries, which brought him a number of inconveniences. After his death, however, his name became a symbol of Western philosophy, along with the names of Socrates and Plato.

Aristotle and happiness

The theme of human happiness is central to Aristotle’s work. In his book “Nicomachean Ethics ” he specifically explores the question of what is the ultimate goal of human existence.

His argument is this: all our actions we humans do in order to achieve something good for ourselves. We don’t do something because we think it’s bad for us. Moreover, most of these actions are a means rather than an end. For example, we do not want money, fame, or pleasure for their own sake, but because with their help we will achieve a far greater goal. And the ultimate goal and highest good for every person, according to the great philosopher, is happiness.

Aristotle called the state of happiness, prosperity, or prosperity “eudaimonia.” The word is derived from two Greek words – “Apostille” (“good”) and “apostille” (“spirit”). Eudaimonia can be achieved when we live in accordance with the spirit we accept as character and virtue. Eudaimonia is what we give to the world to bring us true happiness. It’s a much deeper sense of contentment and harmony with yourself. Therefore, for Aristotle, happiness is a mental activity consistent with the highest virtues.

Aristotle notes this as follows::

“Happiness is a certain kind of reality of the soul in accordance with Virtue.”

Virtues are certain positive qualities that, as long as a person develops, will help him live a happy and successful life.

Aristotle and the human virtues

Aristotle divided human virtues into two main groups, t.pomegranate. “ethical virtues” and”dianoetic virtues”.

The first group of virtues, the ethical, is derived from human character and custom.

These are:

Courage;

Moderation;

Generosity;

Magnificence;

Magnanimity;

Pride;

Patience;

Justice;

Honesty;

Wit;

Goodwill;

Modesty.

Aristotle discovered that every virtue is a ” golden mean” between two extremes, each of which is a vice.

For example, courage is the middle ground between cowardice and challenge. Generosity is the middle ground between extravagance and avarice. Modesty is the middle ground between shyness and shamelessness.

What “moves” human beings beyond their needs for food, security, and sex?

The second group of virtues-the dianoethics-come from the mind. These are intellectual virtues that are the fruit of human thinking and learning.

This is about:

Wisdom;

Prudence.

Aristotle believed that with effort, time, and encouragement, one can acquire the virtues and achieve eudaimonia.

Aristotle and the syllogisms

In the process of classification, Aristotle formulated a systematic form of logic that he applied to each specimen to determine whether it belonged to one category or another.

For example, one of the characteristics of all mammals is that they nurse their young. Therefore, every specimen is a mammal if it suckles its young. Or – one of the characteristics of all reptiles is that they are cold-blooded. Therefore, if a specimen is warm-blooded, it is not a reptile.

Aristotle saw a pattern in this way of thinking through two premises and one conclusion.

Prerequisites:

“All men are mortal.”

“Socrates is a man.”

Conclusion: Socrates is mortal.

This way of thinking: if all A X and B are A, then B is X, then it became known as a “syllogism” – the first formal logical system ever created and the basic logical model up to the 19th century. Because of his contributions to this field, Aristotle is considered the founder of logic. Using analytical reasoning, Aristotle realized that although we humans do not have innate ideas, we do have an innate ability to learn from experience. The power of our mind does not rely on the senses, but is part of human characteristics and nature.

Therefore, it is the innate power of reason that distinguishes us from all other living beings and places us at the top of the hierarchy in Aristotle’s classification.

Aristotle and the idea of God

After a series of complex theoretical deductions, exploring where the world and everything in it began, Aristotle came to the conclusion that all causal relationships in our world have a beginning. The series of causal relationships cannot be without Origin. There is a cause, self – conditioned and nondeterministic of nothing-the cause of all causes.

Or, there is an entity, a primordial cause that makes all the other beginnings and causes in our world real – here on Earth and in the cosmos as a whole. It is the basis of all causation and movement. This is the first engine, the beginning of every movement and change. But it, according to Aristotle, is immovable and not subject to change. As the most perfect “form,” it is immutable, and there is nothing material in it, for it is pure energy. He is absolutely disembodied spirit, he is thinking and acting, reason, perfect thought, directed to his own mental activity.

Everything in our nature comes from the nature of the Divine as from a perfect, all-powerful and Infinite Spirit. The activity of this spirit is expressed only in thought. God’s ceaseless mental activity consists in constant contemplation of his own blissful state and perfection, purity and fullness of being.

Or, God does not affect the world by being actively present in it. Absolutely perfect in his nature, as the highest Good, God is the ultimate goal of all things that strive and move towards him in the pursuit of ever greater perfection.

Quotes from Aristotle

Aristotle is known for winged quotes that embody his wisdom and his attitude to the world.:

“Plato is my friend, but truth is my greater friend.”

“Education is the best insurance for old age.”

“He who is the friend of all is the friend of None.”

“Nothing destroys man so much as prolonged bodily inactivity.”

“Nature does nothing useless.”

“People are divided into three groups — those who are alive, those who are dead, and those who are at sea.”

“Aristotle is not always Aristotle.”
Teodora Pavlova

https://novini.bg/razvlecheniq/liubopitno/849977

Aristotle: every virtue is the golden mean between two extremes

Aristotle: every virtue is the golden mean between two extremes, each of which is a vice.

Aristotle was an extremely influential philosopher from the Classical period of philosophy, remaining in history as the first philosopher to create a complete philosophical system.

Combining ethics, aesthetics, politics, metaphysics, logic, and science, Aristotle explores a vast number of philosophical themes, among which stand out those of faith in the senses, human virtues, happiness, reasoning methods, God, oratory, and friendship.

Ironically, during his lifetime Aristotle alternated periods of popularity with periods of unpopularity among his contemporaries, which brought him a number of inconveniences. After his death, however, his name became a symbol of Western philosophy, along with the names of Socrates and Plato.

Aristotle and happiness

The theme of human happiness is central to Aristotle’s work. In his book “Nicomachean Ethics ” he specifically explores the question of what is the ultimate goal of human existence.

Aristotle notes this as follows::

“Happiness is a certain kind of reality of the soul in accordance with Virtue.”

Virtues are certain positive qualities that, as long as a person develops, will help him live a happy and successful life.

Aristotle and the human virtues

Aristotle divided human virtues into two main groups, t.pomegranate. “ethical virtues” and”dianoetic virtues”.

The first group of virtues, the ethical, is derived from human character and custom.

These are:

Courage;

Moderation;

Generosity;

Magnificence;

Magnanimity;

Pride;

Patience;

Justice;

Honesty;

Wit;

Goodwill;

Modesty.

Aristotle discovered that every virtue is a ” golden mean” between two extremes, each of which is a vice.

For example, courage is the middle ground between cowardice and challenge. Generosity is the middle ground between extravagance and avarice. Modesty is the middle ground between shyness and shamelessness.

What “moves” human beings beyond their needs for food, security, and sex?

The second group of virtues-the dianoethics-come from the mind. These are intellectual virtues that are the fruit of human thinking and learning.

This is about:

Wisdom;

Prudence.

Aristotle believed that with effort, time, and encouragement, one can acquire the virtues and achieve eudaimonia.

Aristotle and the syllogisms

In the process of classification, Aristotle formulated a systematic form of logic that he applied to each specimen to determine whether it belonged to one category or another.

For example, one of the characteristics of all mammals is that they nurse their young. Therefore, every specimen is a mammal if it suckles its young. Or – one of the characteristics of all reptiles is that they are cold-blooded. Therefore, if a specimen is warm-blooded, it is not a reptile.

Aristotle saw a pattern in this way of thinking through two premises and one conclusion.

Prerequisites:

“All men are mortal.”

“Socrates is a man.”

Conclusion: Socrates is mortal.

Therefore, it is the innate power of reason that distinguishes us from all other living beings and places us at the top of the hierarchy in Aristotle’s classification.

Aristotle and the idea of God

Or, God does not affect the world by being actively present in it. Absolutely perfect in his nature, as the highest Good, God is the ultimate goal of all things that strive and move towards him in the pursuit of ever greater perfection.

Quotes from Aristotle

Aristotle is known for winged quotes that embody his wisdom and his attitude to the world.:

“Plato is my friend, but truth is my greater friend.”

“Education is the best insurance for old age.”

“He who is the friend of all is the friend of None.”

“Nothing destroys man so much as prolonged bodily inactivity.”

“Nature does nothing useless.”

“People are divided into three groups — those who are alive, those who are dead, and those who are at sea.”

“Aristotle is not always Aristotle.” Teodora Pavlova

https://novini.bg/razvlecheniq/liubopitno/849977

“Aristotle is not always Aristotle.”
Teodora Pavlova