Paper Summary:

This paper reviews and analyzes the meaning of virtue and moral and ethical values in Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics" and Machiavelli's "The Prince", then offers a comparison and contrast of the authors' views on these topics. Questions regarding the meaning of happiness and what qualities are needed to be the best type of prince are presented, and answers are provided, according to the beliefs of both Aristotle and Machiavelli.

From the Paper:

"The moral virtues are received through initial practices. Virtuous perfection deals with bliss and suffering; it is because of bliss that one indulges in wrong doings and because of suffering that one shuns good deeds. One becomes ethical by doing things in an ethical manner, composed by doing composed acts and daring by performing courageous acts. Intellectual virtue is higher than moral virtue; Intellectual virtue is directed at wisdom; while moral virtue intends modulation of human actions. Intellectual virtue is constructive wisdom (techne or creativity), realistic intelligence (phronesis or austerity), discipline (episteme), knowledge (Sophia), and smart insight (nous). Disciplinary knowledge comprises of the last three. Intellectual virtue (such as nous) is superior to moral virtue, such as bravery, impartiality etc. Hence the spirit must indulge itself into practice or performance of nous (pure experience or observance)."

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