Aristotelian Ethics Explained
Aristotelian Ethics Explained Aristotle, one of the most influential philosophers in Western history, developed a comprehensive ethical theory in his work, Nicomachean Ethics . Aristotle distinguishes two kinds of virtue. There are those that pertain to the part of the soul that engages in reasoning and those capable of following reason. Intellectual virtues are in turn divided into two sorts which are those that pertain to theoretical reasoning, and those that pertain to practical thinking. He organizes his material by first studying ethical virtue in general, then moving to a discussion of particular ethical virtues, and finally completing his survey by considering the intellectual virtues such as practical and theoretical wisdom. Virtue is the proper function of a thing and people as rational creatures; their function is fulfilled through reason which informs good character and this is finalized through eudaimonia which will be explained later. This is why his ethics ar...