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The Virtues of Aristotle
Virtues of Aristotle
128 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1986
7 people want to read
About the author
D.S. Hutchinson
5 books5 followersDouglas Hutchinson is Emeritus Professor at the University of Toronto's Department of Philosophy.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 15, 2019
The discourse only covered Aristotle's Moral Philosophy (re: his doctrine of the virtues of character). Author spent majority of their time elucidating the flow of logic in Aristotle's arguments. The title of the book, then, is misleading. My expectation is to know WHAT exactly these virtues of character ARE in Aristotelian terms, but instead I've just been treated to the same pedantic instruction on Deductive Reasoning as my LSAT textbook.
But then, this book was published in 1986 and smells like old trees. 3/5.
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This book aimed to answer the question: "What is the virtue of character (in Aristotelian terms)"
Here is the tl;dr:
ARGUMENT BASIS:
"Excellence is that hexis (disposition) which results in the best performance of the appropriate ergon (function) "
PREMISE 1:
1. Excellence of soul (hexis) = living a good life (ergon)
2. Good life = perfect good
3. Happiness = perfect good
4. Life can be perfect or imperfect
SYLLOGISM:
5. Happiness = Perfect Good Life
CONCLUSION
∴ Happiness is activity of a perfect good life in accordance with perfect excellence.
PREMISE 2:
1. Excellence of man = obedience to Reason = Rationality
2. Rationality = drives function of Conduct
3. Conducts = motivated by Desire/Feelings ("disposition of feelings"; "disposition of desires")
4. Virtue of character = purposeful choosing of Conduct
SYLLOGISM:
5. Virtue of character = disposition of feelings, desires, AND rational behaviours (function of Conduct)
CONCLUSION
∴ Virtue of character is the obedience to Reason (rational activity) motivated by dispositions of feelings and desires; excellence of man (and thus the perfect good life) is driven by rational activity viz. conduct deliberately performed as a result of choice.
FINAL CONCLUSION:
Obedience to Reason (rational) -> Good Conduct -> Virtue of character -> Excellence of soul -> Good life -> Happiness (end-goal)
--
But then, this book was published in 1986 and smells like old trees. 3/5.
~~~~
This book aimed to answer the question: "What is the virtue of character (in Aristotelian terms)"
Here is the tl;dr:
ARGUMENT BASIS:
"Excellence is that hexis (disposition) which results in the best performance of the appropriate ergon (function) "
PREMISE 1:
1. Excellence of soul (hexis) = living a good life (ergon)
2. Good life = perfect good
3. Happiness = perfect good
4. Life can be perfect or imperfect
SYLLOGISM:
5. Happiness = Perfect Good Life
CONCLUSION
∴ Happiness is activity of a perfect good life in accordance with perfect excellence.
PREMISE 2:
1. Excellence of man = obedience to Reason = Rationality
2. Rationality = drives function of Conduct
3. Conducts = motivated by Desire/Feelings ("disposition of feelings"; "disposition of desires")
4. Virtue of character = purposeful choosing of Conduct
SYLLOGISM:
5. Virtue of character = disposition of feelings, desires, AND rational behaviours (function of Conduct)
CONCLUSION
∴ Virtue of character is the obedience to Reason (rational activity) motivated by dispositions of feelings and desires; excellence of man (and thus the perfect good life) is driven by rational activity viz. conduct deliberately performed as a result of choice.
FINAL CONCLUSION:
Obedience to Reason (rational) -> Good Conduct -> Virtue of character -> Excellence of soul -> Good life -> Happiness (end-goal)
--
Displaying 1 of 1 review