“Nicomachean Ethics” is a surviving collection of notes taken by Aristotle’s pupils on what it means to live the best, most well rounded life one can. Aristotle’s approach is heavily practical, and as such, the first two books are spent discussing the nature of eudaimonia, or loosely translated, “goodness,” and how one is meant to pursue it.
In book I, Aristotle claims that the nature of everything individuals do is in the pursuit of good as an end, and that lower order ends exist to act as a means to the higher order ends. Even if everyone agrees that goodness is the greatest end, there is distinction to be made in how people classify happiness. Nonetheless, individuals should focus on the practical pursuit of happiness rather than the idea of good in itself.
Aristotle considered happiness to be the highest good for this reason. Strangely, he considered virtue not to be good in and of itself, but rather good as a means to happiness.
Additionally, Aristotle describes the soul as something which can be defined as equally rational and irrational. The irrational side of the soul develops impulses, and the rational side keeps those impulses in check. As such, a rational individual is one who can keep these impulses in check the best.
In book II, Aristotle identifies intellectual and moral virtues. Intellectual virtues are virtues which can be taught by an instructor and learned as a student. Moral virtues are virtues which are practiced and cultivated in hopes of forming them into a habit.
With so many different people in so many different places, it would be hard to establish a common set of rules to follow in order to achieve virtue. This being said, Aristotle suggests that somewhat subjectively, virtue exists between deficiency of some trait and excess of the same trait. In his own words:
“…both excessive and defective exercise destroys the strength, and similarly drink or food which is above or below a certain amount destroys the health, while that which is proportionate both produces and increases and preserves it.”
For example. Honesty is a virtuous moral to have. An excess of honesty though will cause one to be rude, and a lack of honesty will make someone a liar.
Also important to Aristotle is that those who behave virtuously are doing it on purpose. In other words, one cannot be truly virtuous by accident. In order to be virtuous on purpose, one must:
- be aware that they are acting virtuously
- be choosing to behave virtuously
- be virtuous by disposition.
When Aristotle says that virtue is a state of character, he is implying that rather than it being a character trait, virtue is a character in itself. When someone is tired, they are tired in the moment, not tired as a state of being. Oppositely, when someone is strong or intelligent, they are these things as states of being. Being virtuous works in a same or similar way. One is virtuous in themself rather than virtuous as a trait.
Noah's Blog: Part II 