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Journal : Aristotle 's virtue ethics

One basic notion in Aristotelian ethics that occupies a central significance is Aristotle 's belief in the role of man 's activities in for one to acquire ethical knowledge . That is , for one to become virtuous or to obtain virtues one should not merely confine himself to mere studying of these virtues but rather one should , more importantly actualize this knowledge of the virtues . Thus , for one to become good one should do good

Aristotle further stretches his ideas by proposing the doctrine of the mean

. The essence of this doctrine dwells on the basic precept that one ought to avoid the extremes and , instead , settle for the mean . The actions of men , more specifically , ought to be framed upon the mean which is the virtue . For example , the virtue of courage rests on the mean between two extremes : cowardice or the lack ' of courage , and rashness or the excess ' in courage

It can easily be observed that Aristotle suggests that one should live a life that does not b on the things that are on the most ' and the least ' levels . For example , if I were to follow Aristotle 's ethics I should always see to it that I should consistently draw myself towards the middle value and avoid slanting towards cowardice and excess . All this could have been very well except for one small thing that I cannot seem to fully comprehend . How is it possible for one to ascertain that one is actually taking the middle path ? Or how is it possible for one to know that this or that is the middle value or is the virtuous action

Perhaps the key in having an understanding to the notion of the mean ' is that one should act . That is , as I continually have these ideas as to what I must do when faced with an ethical situation or , at the least , an ordinary situation , I should theless take the course of action so that I will be able to obtain a qualitative understanding that what I am doing is the excess . On the other hand , I will be having quite a rough time in acquiring the understanding as to whether the action that I am doing is virtuous if all that I do is to theorize and never let my theory be put into practice

Aristotle 's virtue ethics reminds me of Plato 's conception of ethics For the most part of the Republic , Plato attempts to arrive at a conception of a just life by centering on the notion that the just life or that which is good is better than living a life molded on an evil framework and one which prompts individuals to act in an evil manner . At the onset of the Republic 's Book II , a conception of the idea of justice ' is advanced as the working of an individual in accordance to the role in which one is best suited as well as the belief...