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Review on Aristotle's Ethics (II.)
Ivan Tadić
; Katolički bogoslovni fakultet, Sveučilište u Splitu
Sažetak
The author presents Aristotle's classification of science,
examines practical science in relation to an individual and to societv,
brieflv throws into doubt the authenticitv of a piece of writing from
the field of ethics attributed to Aristotle. Taking as a starting point
the allegation that it is the good that ali aspire to, Aristotle searches
for the good as a final purpose of human activity. Ali agree that it is
happiness, which we choose for its own šake and not for the šake of
something else, that's why Aristotle's ethics is labelled as
eudaimonistic. Analvzing the various meanings and conceptions of
happiness, Stagirićanin judges them and concludes that happiness is
not a life of pleasures, political life, but the soul's activity in the
direction of virtue. In order to explain the talk on virtues, the author
first analvzes Aristotle's concepts: free choice, willingly, without one's
will and against one's will; then he explains different aspects of soul.
Then follows the division of virtues into moral and intellectual. Moral
virtue is a state acquired by habit. It is a midpoint in relation to
ourselves betvveen the two vices, excess and shortage, and
axiologically viewed it is the ultimate as a virtue. The author analyzes
Aristotle's thought on particular virtues and relevant vices, as for
example: on courage, moderateness, generosity, abundance,
magnanimity, good nature, trueness, shyness, indignation and his
greatest attention is paid to various aspects of justice. Touching on a
dispute about the number of intellectual virtues, the author
continues his exposition on prudence, which is essentially connected
with moral virtues, and also on wisdom, which deals with what is the
most perfect. When talking about friendship, the author singles out three forms of friendship: in the interests of benefits, in the interests
of enjoyment and the friendship of the good ones. The last one is a
real friendship where there is mutual benevolence. It can be achieved
only by those who are virtuous. The author also analyzes priority and
sets apart some answers to Aristotle's texts. He recognizes and
reveals the anticipated formulation of Descartes' cogito, which might
present a novelty in throwing light upon the development of western
thought. In the dispute on pleasure Aristotle is neither a hedonist nor
an antihedonist, but tries to recognize pleasure as a spiritus movens
of man's activity and, consequently, judges it and estimates it
morally, and the criterion of that judgement is an honest man.
Continuing Aristotle's initial searching for happiness, he
concludes that man's happiness is what is compatible with the best,
with the divine part in man, and that is contemplative observation,
which is similar to divine life. That happiness includes moral life,
external goods and friends. In the end, the author comments on
Aristotle's thought of ethics, critically judges it and places it in the
entire philosophical thought of ethics.
Ključne riječi
ethics; virtue - moral and intellectual; happiness; ultimate good; courage; generosity; magnanimity; trueness; shyness; justice; prudence; wisdom; pleasure; friendship; contemplative observation
Hrčak ID:
38870
URI
Datum izdavanja:
19.12.2003.
Posjeta: 3.898 *