Titian’s School of Athens
ARISTOTLE
THE SCIENTIST
The scientific observer
• A categorizer, and organizer.
• Some men are born to lead and some to follow.
• Hence, slavery OK, because it is ‘ natural’, inequality of genders as well.
What is natural is both real and right
JUSTICE : Definition 1
• Justice is treating equals equally
• And treating unequals unequally
The logician
• Father of syllogism
• All men are mortal.
• Socrates is mortal.
• Socrates is a man.
The four causes
• Material out of what
• Efficient by what
• Formal into what
• Final for the purpose of what
• the end (telos, hence teleology)
What is the end (goal) of man?
• The Nicomachean Ethics.– An attempt to show how we should behave– “should” indicates in keeping with our proper,
just (final) cause.
– A lot about friendship: 3 types for our good shared interest, and ‘true’ friendship
• What is a “good” man?
• Good for what?
What are the “goods”?
• Some goods are self evident.
• Health, knowledge, skills, liberty
• Society – to allow the others to be achieved
Doctrine of the Mean
• Virtues are the midpoint, the “goldilocks’ just right balance between extremes.
• Ex: Deficiency =cowardice Excess = foolhardinessVirtue = courage
Miserliness, extravagance, generosity
Modern example
• Deficiency not caring about a test
• Excess obsessing about a test pulling an all-nighter panic attack
• Virtue preparedness
• NB Plato’s definition of justice, harmony balance, proper ordering
So,
• Virtues, practiced, habitual
• Eudaimonia: activity of the soul in accord with virtue
• What is the highest pleasure?
• Happiness and pleasure
The end of man.
• To realize our potential,
• The highest activity we are capable of, that which is most like the gods?
• Not the mentality of a child, pleasurable as it is.
• Not just pleasure
• Active or passive? – Contemplative or by good deeds
Abraham MaslowAmerican 1908-1970
• Hierarchy of needs,
• None higher can be reached until the lower ones are satisfied.
• Physical needs
• Safety needs
• Belonging needs
• Esteem needs
Self actualization
• Which means?
What are the “goods”?
• Real (needs) and apparent (wants):
• Of the real:– Instrumental and ultimate– Of the instrumental– Possessions (external) and – Perfections (internal)