What distinction did Aristotle make between ends that are intrinsically good and end that are instrumentally good?
2007-03-02 07:31:50 · 5 answers · asked by sandee 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Aristotle wasn't the first one to distinguish between different kinds of being good. In this sense, he follows the lead of his teacher, Plato. Both were searching for a kind of ultimate good... Aristotle believed that human intelligence was such that if we knew exactly what this was, we would each be able to figure out a way to get there and monitor our progress on the way.
So Aristotle comes up with a couple ways of trying to figure out what this ultimate good is. One is to compare things that are considered good... such a comparison yields at least two major distinctions. Some things are good just for themselves (intrinsic goods) and some things are only good because of the things that follow from them (instrumental goods).
For example, most people would agree that being healthy is good. And if you want to stay healthy, you're going to have to drink water from time to time, so walking to the nearest well is probably a good idea too. In this case, we have two different kinds of goods. Being healthy is good in and of itself - even if you got no other good things from it, it would be good to be healthy. Walking to a well, on the other hand, is only good when it gets you water. If you are always walking to wells without water, you are wasting your time.
The 'golden mean' is a way to help find some of the virtues themselves. In examining both virtues and defects, Aristotle decided that pretty much all virtues lie in the middle of a spectrum between one defect and one excess. Thus it would seem that to be perfectly virtuous one must strive toward moderation in all things.
A good example of this is courage. Most people would agree that having courage is a pretty good thing. A person who has no courage is a coward - the defect. On the other hand, a person who has TOO MUCH courage is rash and foolhardy, and is avoided by rational people instead of lauded. I leave it to you (or look at the link) to consider similar spectrums for many of the other virtues.
Hope that helps!
2007-03-02 08:01:51 · answer #1 · answered by Doctor Why 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Doctrine Of The Golden Mean
2016-10-17 03:05:28 · answer #2 · answered by carollo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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What is the doctrine of the Golden Mean?
What distinction did Aristotle make between ends that are intrinsically good and end that are instrumentally good?
2015-08-08 19:20:21 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the Golden Mean is Aristotle's idea of the balanced life. If you read his Nicomachian Ethics, Aristotle gives a list of vices and virtues. The balance is the middle, moderation is the key with Aristotle. This is the Golden Mean.
2007-03-02 08:45:17 · answer #4 · answered by tigranvp2001 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mathematical beauty
2016-03-18 04:47:58 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I suppose the 'instrumental' variety is only contextually good.
2007-03-02 07:41:30 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋