Can someone give the gist of Nicomachean Ethics aka Aristotle's ethics?

Question

thank you.

Answer 1

Aristotle's version of ethical theory is often referred to as "virtue ethics" today. Aristotle believed that being a good person is a matter of developing the right personality traits. Generally speaking, if we have the right sort of character, we will do the right sort of thing.

This is somewhat different than what we see with other theories, where the focus is on the actions performed. Aristotle was seeking to describe what we mean when we call a person "good" or "bad"--something that is more a matter of a lifetime of actions than any single action that one might perform.

He did believe that we can develop these character traits by habit. We can teach ourselves to be "good," in other words. And we have to recognize that the "good" is often found in the mean between two extremes (both of which are "bad"). Take courage, for example. If a person does not have enough of this trait that we call "courage," then they are cowardly. If a person has too much, then they are rash ("Fools rush in where angels fear to tread"). So courage--a virtue--lies in the mean between too little and too much.

Being virtuous, then, is a matter of finding the mean--doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, to the right extent, with the right motives, toward the right persons, and so on. Each of these factors represents a mean, and truly virtuous action finds the appropriate mean with respect to all of the moral factors involved.

That is a rough nutshell version.

Answer 2

The ten books which comprise Nicomachean Ethics are based on notes from the lectures Aristotle gave at the Lyceum. They focus on the importance of habitually behaving virtuously and developing a virtuous character, emphasizing the importance of context to ethical behavior, and the ability of the virtuous person to recognize the best course of action.

Answer 3

The golden mean - do everything in moderation and seek a balanced life. This is the model of virtuous action.