Philosophy Friday: Aristotle

Aristotle: 384-322 B.C

            Aristotle, the student of Plato, had the best ethic of the three foundational philosophers—Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. In his book, Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle described a fundamental philosophical truth about the nature of ethical values. Aristotle also argued for the existence of forms, though he differed from Plato in his determination of the location of the Forms. In Aristotle’s case, the apple does not fall too far from the tree (Plato). Though, the distance that the apple does fall is a distance in the right direct and is progress rather than digress.

            Aristotle argued that everything that exists potentially has three aspects—The Substance, The Privation, and The Form. The Substance of a thing is the material it is made up of. The Substance of a gold ring is liquid gold. The Substance of thing remains regardless of the change that the thing undergoes. The Privation of a thing is the absence of form. Liquid gold has the aspect of The Privation because it is without a form. The Form “appears in the process of change, always a part of the concrete thing.” Liquid gold may take on various forms—a ring, a coin, etc. However, a form itself does not change. The Form of a chair has particular qualities of chair-ness, regardless of whether it is made of stone or wood or metal. Yet, while Plato thought that the Forms were located in some metaphysical reality, Aristotle considered Forms to be aspects of a thing itself.[1]

            Aristotle considered the ultimate goal of mankind to be eudaimonia (happiness, well-being). Yet, he thought that eudaimonia was only attained by living virtuously. Ethical virtue always exists between the two vices of excess and deficiency. For example, the virtue of bravery exists between the deficiency of cowardice and the excess of recklessness. Virtue is not always the mathematical mean between the two vices. In some cases, such as in the case of bravery, the virtue may be nearer to one vice (recklessness) than the other (cowardice).[2] Aristotle also classified another kind of virtue that he called intellectual virtues. These virtues are wisdom and understanding. The intellectual virtues enable the moral virtues, and the moral virtues enable the intellectual virtues. Wisdom and goodness are inseparable according to Aristotle. Furthermore, these virtues are not innate, nor are they taught. In order to become virtuous, one must continually practice virtue. If one does not practice virtue, one becomes a less and less virtuous person.[3]

            Aristotle’s teachings on the nature of the Forms and ethics are foundational to philosophical thought throughout the world. Even though he was persecuted in his time, being charged with impiety he was forced to flee for his life, he became one of the most revered philosophers known to man. [4]

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[1]. Pojman and Vaughn, “Aristotle,” Classics of Philosophy, 3^rd ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011), 203-204.

[2]. Richard Kraut, "Aristotle's Ethics", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Winter 2012 ed., ed. Edward N. Zalta (Stanford: The Metaphysics Research Lab, Center for the Study of Language and Information, 2012)

[3]. Anselm H. Amadio, "Aristotle", Encyclopædia Britannica Online (Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013)

[4]. Pojman and Vaughn, “Aristotle,” Classics of Philosophy, 3rd ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011), 204.