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ARISTOTLE

Virtue theory, as described by Aristotle, holds that virtues are robust character traits that lead to good behavior when developed. According to Aristotle, virtues are midpoints between vices of excess and deficiency, and are developed through habituation by emulating moral exemplars and intentionally performing virtuous actions repeatedly over time. Once ingrained, virtues become effortless traits that allow one to achieve eudaimonia, a life of human flourishing, happiness, and constant self-improvement.

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Wiljan Jay Abellon
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51 views4 pages

ARISTOTLE

Virtue theory, as described by Aristotle, holds that virtues are robust character traits that lead to good behavior when developed. According to Aristotle, virtues are midpoints between vices of excess and deficiency, and are developed through habituation by emulating moral exemplars and intentionally performing virtuous actions repeatedly over time. Once ingrained, virtues become effortless traits that allow one to achieve eudaimonia, a life of human flourishing, happiness, and constant self-improvement.

Uploaded by

Wiljan Jay Abellon
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The road to well-being and happiness is striving to

be the best person we can be. We flourish when


we are good, and when we are good, we flourish. 

Virtue theory is all about character. Rather than


saying, “follow these rules so you can be a good
person,” Aristotle and other virtue theorists
reasoned that, if we can just focus on being good
people, the right actions will follow, effortlessly.
Become a good person, and you will do good
things. No rulebook needed.

Virtue theory reflects the ancient assumption that


humans have a fixed nature—an essence— and
that the way we flourish is by adhering to that
nature. Aristotle described it in terms of what he
called proper functioning. Everything has a
function, and a thing is good to the extent it fulfills
its function, and bad to the extent it doesn’t.

For Aristotle this isn’t about God’s plan, it’s just


about nature. Aristotle argued that nature has built
into us the desire to be virtuous, in the same way
that acorns are built with the drive to become oak
trees. But what exactly does it mean to be
virtuous? Aristotle said that having virtue just
means doing the right thing, at the right time, in
the right way, in the right amount, toward the
right people.

Aristotle understood virtue as a set of robust


character traits that, once developed, will lead to
predictably good behavior.
Central to Aristotle’s concept of virtue is the
principle of the Golden Mean. According to this,
virtue is a midpoint between two extremes, both of
which are vices. One extreme is of excess, and the
other of deficiency. This means that there are two
opposite ways we can go wrong and deviate from
what is good and right. For example, courage is
the midpoint between the extremes of cowardice
and recklessness. The virtue of generosity works
the same way. It avoids the obvious vices of
stinginess, but also doesn’t give too much. The
right amount of generosity means giving when you
have it, to those who need it. It can mean having
the disposition to give just for the heck of it, but it
also means realizing when you can’t, or shouldn’t
give.
The right action is always a midpoint between
extremes. So, there’s no all-or-nothing in this
theory.

Both are vices with potential consequences for


harm, for ourselves as well as for the recipient and
other parties concerned.

He said that virtue is a skill, a way of living, and


that’s something that really can only be learned
through experience. 

Aristotle said your character is developed through


habituation. If you do a virtuous thing over and
over again, eventually it will become part of your
character. But the way you know what the thing to
do is in the first place, is by finding someone who
already knows, and emulating them. These people
who already possess virtue are moral exemplars,
and according to this theory, we are built with the
ability to recognize them, and the desire to
emulate them. So you learn virtue by watching it,
and then doing it.

By acting repeatedly and intentionally in keeping


with these virtues, they become gradually and
progressively an ingrained part of our character
and intellect. The more they are integrated, the
more naturally and easily are we able to reason
and act out of them. In practice, then, a virtue is a
habit. We have the virtue of honesty—it is an
integral part of who are character—when we are
habitually honest. We have the virtue of open-
mindedness when we are naturally receptive to
considering new information and acquiring new
knowledge.

In the beginning, it will be hard, and maybe it’ll


feel fake, because you are just copying someone
who’s better than you at being a good person. But
over time, these actions will become an ingrained
part of your character. And eventually, it becomes
that robust trait that Aristotle was talking about.
It’ll just manifest every time you need it. That’s
when you know you have virtue. It becomes
effortless.

Virtue theory says that you should become


virtuous because, if you are, then you can attain
the pinnacle of humanity. It allows you to achieve
what’s known as eudaimonia. And a life of
eudaimonia is a life of striving. It’s life of pushing
yourself to your limits, and finding success. A
eudemonistic life will be full of happiness that
comes from achieving something really difficult,
rather than having it just handed to you. But
choosing to live a eudemonistic life means you are
never done improving, you are never to a point
where you can just coast. You’re constantly setting
new goals, and working to develop new muscles.

This is morality, for Aristotle. It’s being the best


person you can be, honing your strengths, while
working on your weaknesses. And for Aristotle, the
kind of person who lives likes this, is the kind of
person who will do good things.

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