Essay - Aristotle: Virtue Aristotle Is Considered to Be the Philosopher of...

ARISTOTLE: VIRTUE

Aristotle is considered to be the philosopher of philosophers, he virtually wrote about everything, ***** pioneered most of the d*****ciplines like psychology, biology, meteorology and political science. For almost a thous*****nd years Aris*****tle's theories were unchallenged such was the impact ***** his philosophy and thought. The medieval philosophy of Scholastics ***** early Renaissance thinkers borrowed heavily from Aristotle. At the root of *****'s philosophy ***** ***** doctrine of virtue and natural law. Aristotle believed that ***** in life serves a purpose "telos" *****s he called it ***** distinguis*****d "efficient" causes from "final" *****. 'Efficient causes are those things or processes that lead to ***** ***** cause, they are the means to ends, for example a painter uses paints and brush to create a work of art, the ***** and paints are tools, process to make a p*****inting. While the final cause is the end product, the painting. Similarly he saw that every object and ***** action has a ***** purpose *****nd th***** determines its 'good'. Thus if we understand ***** final good of an org*****ism, ***** will then be able ***** understand the necessary natural ***** by ***** of which it will reach that *****. According to Aristotle the final ***** of human beings, the chief end is 'happiness'.

***** to Ar*****totle there was an intimate relationship between virtue and happiness. Virtue (arete) is "excellence in fulfillment ***** a p*****icular function, while "happ*****ess" (eudiamonia) is a sense of well-being, resulting from achieving "excellence" in the fulfillment of one's functions both theoretical ***** practical functions. Aristotle argued ***** the natural purpose '*****' can be achieved by living a virtuous *****. Aristotle holds that 'good' can be known on ***** basis of experience of human behavior and desire. In order to know what actually good is, that man aim at, we have to look *****'s daily activities and examine h***** be*****avior, he notes th***** man has a hierarchy of purpose ***** deduces from t*****se multiple purposes that there ***** to exist a higher good or purpose. This good must be ***** and attain***** by man. Aristotle concludes that the highest ***** is man desires or aims at happiness. ***** question as to how this happiness ***** ***** good can be *****, Aristotle answers ***** each man is endowed with reason and ***** is the essence of human **********. Man should realize, for it is in ***** realization that man's highest ***** ***** found. ***** is here saying ***** man's happiness lies not only in possess*****g knowledge but also in application ***** it.

As we discussed above Aristotle believes that ********** has been *****d in vain, everything has a purpose the final goal, ***** final ***** '*****' when ***** fulfill our function and ***** function as a rational being is to *****. Thus, according to Aris*****tle, a happy life for human *****s is a ***** governed by reason. The function of man's ***** nature, his rational soul, is to live a well-ordered life in ***** every phase of man responds to