Aristotles Ethics Aristotles Ethical Theory n Aristotle knows

Aristotle’s Ethics

Aristotle’s Ethical Theory n Aristotle knows: Life is an opportunity for eudaimonia – moral virtues of character – intellectual virtue of prudence – interpersonal virtues of justice and friendship – “virtuous life” • Theoretical/knowledge • Practical/leadership

The Good for Man = Eudaimonia final, sufficient in itself = a fulfilling human i. e. rational, social and physical n Defn = “rational activity with virtue (in a complete life)” (I. 7) n Not available to all— n n – many too limited by opportunity for personal development (slaves, destitute poverty, illness, women) – many societies disordered (wrong values, wrong people in power) n “Human self-actualization” not just a function of intellect or success, but of virtue

Moral Virtues and Vices Areas of moral concern n n n Risk of harm and fear = courage vs. cowardice Bodily appetite, pleasure = temperance/intemperance The use of money, wealth = generosity vs. cheapness Concern for honor/esteem = magnanimity* vs. servility Persons/cooperation w/others = justice vs. injustice Reasoning re: ethics/politics – Megalopsychia is difficult to translate: dignity, proper pride, noble-mindedness, greatness, magnanimity are all possible Related social institutions* n n n Military and police, defense of country, law and order Marriage and family, physical pleasures Money and personal property, freedom to spend and gift Competitive offices & awards, public recognition and fame Legal, political and economic office, courts and trials by jury Higher education, leadership – B/c these institutions and functions = relevant to life/happiness anywhere, these = “universal human virtues”

Freedom and Responsibility n Aristotle’s emphasis on habituation suggests an individual’s character is largely shaped by their nurture, i. e. state and family influence. n “Our moral characters depend on the quality of our activities…it is all-important whether we are trained in one set of habits and pleasures or another. ” NE II. 1 n But virtue and vice are also due to prohairesis, choice or purpose, suggesting citizens of a free society are shaped not only by others, but also by themselves n “Virtue is a habit of choice, lying in a mean, relative to us, but as determined by reason, such as a wise man would make. ” NE II. 6

Moral responsibility Voluntary Action n Done ‘from within’ and not coerced – Internal vs. external n Done ‘knowingly’ – Of means, of ends – Moral ignorance n Can be impulsive

Are we fated by our pasts? n His actions may be voluntary, but the agent may not be psychologically free n A man’s ‘vision’ of the good may be partly due to his own choices and actions n “All men seek what seems to them good, but they are not responsible for its seeming good…a man may do wrong through ignorance, thinking it will bring him the greatest good. ” n “Whether a man’s view of his end is partly due to himself of determined by nature, virtue and vice are voluntary. . . and in fact we are in a sense partly ourselves the cause of our character. ”

Freedom, Justice and Responsibility Adult citizens are assumed to be responsible for their actions, and the conditions of their character (vs. willful ignorance, vs. moral carelessness) n They are held to a civic standard of virtue, e. g. laws vs. cowardice in war, adultery, theft n But moral character includes the desire to do good for its own sake—which requires some type of ‘ethical conversion’ or ‘moral vision’ n

The Virtue of Justice = --Obeying the Law --Fairness = willingly giving other his due 2 Forms of Justice --Distributive --Corrective 2 Concepts of Justice --Conventional --Natural

Justice and Injustice 1 = crime, n Justice 1 = social virtue lawlessness, i. e. a of law-abidingness person unrestrained governed by the law by law-abidingness and shame and honor n Injustice 2 = n Justice 2 = ethical pleonexia, greedy or virtue, gives others selfish desire to their due as a matter have ever-more and of principle ‘out-do’ others – distribute or correct, without n Aristotle: the virtue and the vice are rare prejudice – rights may not all be equal

Distributive vs. Corrective Justice Distributive = how goods/duties ought to be distributed n Proportional by some measure – Equality – Merit/virtue n Corrective = how punishments ought to be distributed n Equally, relative to the harm done – No class privileges, e. g. rich vs. poor Just man distributes n Righteous judge corrects based on principle of equality before the justice (e. g. merit or law, not favoritism equality), not selfor vengefulness interest or emotion (e. g. envy, bias)

Justice and Intellect n Justice = a moral virtue – More than mere legality – A “habit of choice” = willingly regarding others and oneself with the same standards – applying principles of • distributive • corrective justice – “Equity” = going beyond letter of your ‘rights’ (V. 10) – Concept of natural vs. conventional (legal) justice n Related to intellect – hits the ‘mean’ as determined by reason – applying principles of • distributive • corrective justice – moral imagination and consideration = seeing from other’s perspective, connects to “equity” (VI. 11) – reasoning on natural justice: thinks beyond convention/law as it is

Conventional vs. Natural Justice Conventional = what the laws are n Socially relative n Change over time, vary in content Natural = what the law ought to be n Based on human rational nature n Absolute + relative – Laws re: • • n – Ideal standards • • Family Property Liberty Politics based on perceived interest of rulers Human needs Highest human potentials – But what is possible at a given time/place n Based on actual interests of all

Aristotle’s Politics I Man = “rational political (& familial) animal” n Human needs n – Life and reproduction – Family, property – Liberty, share in polis -government