Synthesis philosophica, Vol. 37 No. 2, 2022.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.21464/sp37204
Resemblance of Benedetto Cotrugli’s and Aristotle’s Lists of Ethical Virtues
Davor Balić
; Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Ulica Lorenza Jägera 9, HR–31000 Osijek
Demian Papo
orcid.org/0000-0001-5574-6705
; Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Ulica Lorenza Jägera 9, HR–31000 Osijek
Abstract
In eighteen chapters of the third book of his writings named The Book of the Art of Trade (1458) Croatian Renaissance philosopher Benedetto Cotrugli (c. 1416–1469) presented a list of ethical virtues a perfect merchant should possess. His ethical teaching was largely influenced by Aristotle’s thought. Hence, Cotrugli’s list of ethical virtues resembles the list Aristotle made in the seventh chapter of the second book of his Nicomachean Ethics. In this paper, their lists of ethical virtues were examined and compared, thus providing insight into their differences and similarities, consequently revealing the extent of their accordance. Previous research has shown that Cotrugli and Aristotle had a corresponding understanding of the virtue of justice. However, the paper proves that another six out of thirteen ethical virtues (confidence, astuteness, integrity, liberality, modesty, and temperance) on Cotrugli’s list have their foundation in Aristotle’s ethics.
Keywords
Benedetto Cotrugli; Libro del arte dela mercatura; The Book of the Art of Trade; Aristotle; Nicomachean Ethics; ethical virtues
Hrčak ID:
303700
URI
Publication date:
29.12.2022.
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