Aristotle s Theory Of Virtue As A Mean - 1161 Words

In his work the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle posits the idea that many desirable characteristics, the virtues, are what he calls â€Å"means,† much like the concept of the average mean in mathematics. He states that these qualities are not extremes, but rather, the degree to which a given quality should be expressed so as to be virtuous falls somewhere between the extremes. He elaborates that specific locations of each mean are determined by their nature, that is, some virtues fall closer to one end of a spectrum than another end, and that from one individual situation to another, the specific location may change. Furthermore, Aristotle goes on to differentiate between a number of different subcategories of justice and describe how they connect to the theory of virtue as a mean. I assert that although Aristotle’s ideas are in some ways helpful, he fails to give a clear, adequate account of the true nature of justice, and fails as well to effectively connect it to his t heory of virtue as a mean. Instead, his description of justice is muddled and inconsistent with his theory of virtue as a mean, and he does not achieve the objectives he sets out for himself regarding connecting the two theories. To begin, I will attempt to briefly restate Aristotle’s description of justice, as given in Book V of the Nicomachean Ethics. He begins by setting a goal for himself: to establish â€Å"what kind of mean justice is, and what are the extremes between which the just is a mean†. He statesShow MoreRelatedSocrates And Aristotle s Life1491 Words   |  6 Pagesphilosopher Aristotle is widely thought to have said, The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival. 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