Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics and Virtue Analytical Essay by Nicky

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics and Virtue
An analysis of Aristotle's stand on the ethics of virtue.
# 147012 | 2,148 words | 4 sources | APA | 2010 | US
Published on Feb 02, 2011 in Philosophy (General) , Ethics (General)


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Description:

Aristotle used certain main concepts to show how ethics can be turned into something tangible that everyone can agree on. This paper reflects upon Aristotle's ideas and sheds light on them, as well as points out what is both good and bad about the ideas he presented. In particular, the paper discusses how one of Aristotle's main concepts is virtue and he argues that everything that can be said about humanity hinges on virtue in one way or another. The paper also looks at how Aristotle sees virtue as being composed of two different things, and being both intellectual and moral. The intellectual part of virtue comes from teaching, and the moral part comes from the habits that one has.

From the Paper:

"This would seem to make sense, since people' morals and ideals often change as they grow older, but many of the more ingrained habits that a specific person has seem to remain largely the same, whether they are moral or not. People can change somewhat, however, as they are taught new things and learn about life from both standard teaching, such as schooling, and the teaching that comes from simply being alive long enough to learn many things about the world and about people. Virtues often change somewhat as people grow older and find that life is not necessarily quite what they thought it was when they were younger. These things can work to make someone more or less virtuous, depending on the kinds of lessons that they learn as they age.
In examining Aristotle's ideas of virtue and ethics, it also appears that pleasure and pain are large components to what people do in life. Many people do things that they consider ethical, but will refrain from things that they feel will cause them pain, even if those things are very virtuous (Aristotle, 1934)."

Sample of Sources Used:

  • Aristotle. 1934. Nicomachean Ethics, trans. Harris H. Rackham. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, Loeb Classical Library.
  • Burger, Ronna. 1991. "Ethical Reflections and Righteous Indignation: Nemesis in the Nicomachean Ethics." In Essays in Ancient Greek Philosophy, Vol. 4: Aristotle's Ethics, ed. John P. Anton and Anthony Preus. Albany, NY: SUNY Press, 127-39.
  • Faulkner, Robert. 1972. "Spontaneity, Justice, and Coercion: On Nicomachean Ethics, Books III and IV." In Nomos Volume 14: Coercion, ed. James Roland Pennock and John W. Chapman. Chicago: Aldine/Atherton, 81-106.
  • Tessitore, Aristide. 1996. Reading Aristotle's Ethics: Virtue, Rhetoric, and Political Philosophy. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.

Cite this Analytical Essay:

APA Format

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics and Virtue (2011, February 02) Retrieved October 01, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/analytical-essay/aristotle-nicomachean-ethics-and-virtue-147012/

MLA Format

"Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics and Virtue" 02 February 2011. Web. 01 October. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/analytical-essay/aristotle-nicomachean-ethics-and-virtue-147012/>

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