2014-2-PHI110-04

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__NOTITLE__ Studying 2014/2 PHI110: Philosophy, Morality and Society. Week 4. Undertaken Study Period 2, 2014. Content is quoted and/or summarised from the university website in fair dealing for purpose of research or study. See also: StudyWISE and AIMS.

Aristotle's Ethics

This week, we will examine Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. After Plato (and Socrates), Aristotle is one of the most influential philosophers in history; neo-Aristotelianism remains a live option in moral philosophy today.

Like the other Greek philosophers, the primary object of Aristotle's inquiry is to examine the nature of the good life: this will turn out to be a life of rational activities comprising a general state of well-being where we are also able to 'do well' in life. This is 'happiness' or Eudaimonia (faring well, doing well, living well). But what are our common ideas of happiness?

Links

Herewith a list of further reading:

Lectures

Notes

Questions

Readings

Readings downloaded from e-Reserve.

Answers

Simon Blackburn, extract from Being Good, pp. 112-116

1. Why is there a difficulty in saying that the 'intended' or natural life for humans is a life of virtue?

Anything we do is by definition "natural", but not everything we do is by definition "virtuos". Some of the things we do are selfish, or violent, or cruel, and thus not virtuous. Therefore what is natural is not necessarily virtuous at all. If the virtue is "intended" as natural, who "intends" it?

2. How does Aristotle 'squeeze' these together, according to Blackburn? What considerations does he give in favour of the plausibility of doing so?

Aristotle emphasised that it takes education and practice to become virtuous. Blackburn says that in his 'virtue ethics' he "heroically" tries to squeeze together what is natural, what is reasonable, what leads to happiness and what is virtuous; and his main device is the socialisation of the individual. Aristotle holds that an antisocial individual's prosperity will turn to ashes -- though Blackburn notes this is not necessarily so.

3. Why could it be thought implausible that the natural life for humans is a life of virtue? How does this relate to oppression in Blackburn's view?

Blackburn says it is culture, not nature, that dictates virtue; and virtue is not necessarily present in cultures, such as when women have been oppressed.

4. How could an Aristotelian respond? Do you think the response is plausible?

I don't know!

Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics, Book 1

5. What is the distinction between instrumental and intrinsic goals? How does Aristotle use this distinction to argue that the pursuit of wealth, for example, cannot be central to the good life?

6. Why does Aristotle think that different kinds of enquiry admit of different degrees of precision? What implication does this have for ethics?


7. What does Aristotle mean by saying that happiness is a "complete" and "self sufficient" good? (p. 1734)

8. What does Aristotle mean by saying that happiness is a feature of "a complete life"? (p. 1735)

9. How does 'happiness' differ from 'pleasure' for Aristotle?

10. What is the function of a human being? How is determining the function of a human relevant to determining what constitutes the good life? What is good about the contemplative life?

Activities

Work

TODO

Things to do, most important on top:

Done

Things that are done, most recent on top:

Glossary

Herewith a list of new and/or interesting words and selected definitions:

nicomachean

nicomachean
Of or pertaining to some ancient Greek named Nicomachus; particularly, either Nicomachus, physician to Amyntas II., King of Macedonia, and the father of Aristotle, the philosopher, or Nicomachus the Younger, a son of Aristotle, who, like his father and grandfather, was also an author.
The "Ethics of Aristotle," said to have been published by Nicomachus the Younger after his father's death.

Nicomachean Ethics

Nicomachean Ethics
The Nicomachean Ethics is the name normally given to Aristotle's best-known work on ethics. The work, which plays a pre-eminent role in defining Aristotelian ethics, consists of ten books, originally separate scrolls, and is understood to be based on notes from his lectures at the Lyceum, which were either edited by or dedicated to Aristotle's son, Nicomachus.

eudemonia

eudemonia
A state of pleasant well-being.
A person’s state of excellence characterized by objective flourishing across a lifetime, and brought about through the exercise of moral virtue, practical wisdom, and rationality.

dialectic

dialectic
The art or practice of arriving at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments.
The process especially associated with Hegel of arriving at the truth by stating a thesis, developing a contradictory antithesis, and combining and resolving them into a coherent synthesis.
Hegel's critical method for the investigation of this process.
The Marxian process of change through the conflict of opposing forces, whereby a given contradiction is characterized by a primary and a secondary aspect, the secondary succumbing to the primary, which is then transformed into an aspect of a new contradiction. Often used in the plural with a singular or plural verb.
The Marxian critique of this process.
A method of argument or exposition that systematically weighs contradictory facts or ideas with a view to the resolution of their real or apparent contradictions.
The contradiction between two conflicting forces viewed as the determining factor in their continuing interaction.

trait

trait
A distinguishing feature, as of a person's character. See Synonyms at quality.
A genetically determined characteristic or condition: a recessive trait.
A stroke with or as if with a pencil.
A slight degree or amount, as of a quality; a touch or trace: a sermon with a trait of humour.

teleology

teleology
The study of design or purpose in natural phenomena.
The use of ultimate purpose or design as a means of explaining phenomena.
Belief in or the perception of purposeful development toward an end, as in nature or history.

ergon

ergon
A concept from Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics that is most often translated as function, task, or work.

erg

erg
The centimeter-gram-second unit of energy or work equal to the work done by a force of one dyne acting over a distance of one centimetre.

treatise

treatise
A systematic, usually extensive written discourse on a subject.
bsolete A tale or narrative.

vice

vice
An evil, degrading, or immoral practice or habit.
A serious moral failing.
Wicked or evil conduct or habits; corruption.
Sexual immorality, especially prostitution.
A slight personal failing; a foible: the vice of untidiness.
A flaw or imperfection; a defect.
A physical defect or weakness.
An undesirable habit, such as crib-biting, in a domestic animal.
A character representing generalized or particular vice in English morality plays.
A jester or buffoon.
Variant of vise.

profligate

profligate
Given over to dissipation; dissolute.
Recklessly wasteful; wildly extravagant.
A profligate person; a wastrel.

wastrel

wastrel
One who wastes, especially one who wastes money; a profligate.
An idler or a loafer.

telos

telos
The end of a goal-oriented process.

knave

knave
An unprincipled, crafty fellow.
A male servant.
A man of humble birth.
A playing card marked with the figure of a servant or soldier; a jack.

finagling

finagling
Present participle of finagle.
The act of cheating or swindling.

phronesis

phronesis
The virtue of "practical wisdom" as posited by Aristotle.
Practical judgment; the faculty of conducting one's self wisely.
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