Florida National University Aristotle Ethics Discussion

PHILOSOPHY – Aristotle – YouTube

1-Answer questions 1 and 3 in this video.

2-Share three virtues you see in yourself and locate an example in your life to clarify these virtues.

We have learned how Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics defines the supreme good: an activity of the rational soul in accordance with virtue. Virtue —–for the Greeks is equivalent to excellence.

A virtuous person: someone who performs the distinctive activity of being human well.

·Having character

·Knowing yourself (Socrates’ reminder “Know Thyself, nothing in excess” @ Temple of Apollo’s door (my profile picture ;))

·Moderation

·Self-control

·Not about what should I do, but WHO should I be?

·Thinking of your life as a whole is the point of ethical reflection

·Reason and emotion closely allied

Aristotle defines moral virtue as:

A disposition to behave in the right manner and as a MEAN between extremes of deficiency and excess, which are vices. Please see the chart below:

Virtue is a matter of having the appropriate attitude toward pain and pleasure.

Happiness is the highest good and the end at which all our activities ultimately aim. All our activities aim at some end, though most of these ends are means toward other ends.

For example:

We go grocery shopping to buy food, but buying food is itself a means toward the end of eating well and economically. Eating well and carefully is also not an end in itself but a means to other ends. Only happiness is an end in itself, so it is the ultimate end at which all our activities aim. As such, it is the supreme good.