Aristotles intellectual range was vast, covering most of the sciences and many of the arts, including biology, botany, chemistry, ethics, history, logic, metaphysics, rhetoric, philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, physics, poetics, political theory, psychology, and zoology. Modern regimes aim at protecting rights, especially freedom, whereas ancient regimes aim at fostering virtue. Tip many students seem to think that aristotle by his theory of the golden mean is praising mediocrity. For example, if courage taken to excess would manifest as recklessness and if deficient as cowardice. Keenly intelligent and brilliantly rendered, the golden mean is a bold reimagining of one of historys most intriguing relationshipsthat between the legendary philosopher aristotle and his most famous pupil, alexander the great. Use rational judgment based on consideration of all the facts. Working from aristotles text, this article argues that the golden mean model, as widely understood and applied to media ethics, seriously belies aristotles intent. Moderation had been praised in ancient greece by aristotles predecessor socrates, as well. In aristotles philosophy, virtue is a state of being, a state apt to exercise deliberate choice, being in the relative mean, determined by reason, and as the person of practical wisdom would determine. Journalism and media ethics texts commonly invoke aristotles golden mean as a principal ethical theory that models such journalistic values as balance, fairness, and proportion. Peitho examina antiqua 1 3 2012 the archer and aristotles doctrine of the mean glen koehn london, canada how should we assess the. A century and a half before his birth, an indian prince siddhartha guatma, after choosing an ascetic life and becoming the buddha the awakened one, preached the middle way as the road to enlightenment. The golden mean in aristotle s nicomachean ethics each moral virtue is a mean or lies between extremes of pleasure or of action doing or feeling too much or too little. Of all the classical theories considered here, his is the farthest from an ethics of selfinterest.
Aristotles doctrine of the mean is sometimes dismissed as an unhelpful and unfortunate mistake in what would otherwise be or perhaps, in spite of this lapse, still is a worthwhile enterprise. Aristotles ethics stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. The ethics of drugenhanced performance has been debated in the literature for a number of years. Aristotles doctrine of the mean originally appeared in history of philosophy quarterly 43, july 1987. The concept of aristotles theory of golden mean is represented in his work called nicomachean ethics, in which aristotle explains the origin, nature and development of virtues which are essential for achieving the ultimate goal, happiness greek. Students of the american regime often trace its founding principles to john locke, and understand it as a modern regime, in contrast to an ancient one. The golden mean offers a sensual, frank depiction of the ancient greek philosopher, aristotle, and his complex connections with the boy who would become alexander the great. Working from aristotle s text, this article argues that the golden mean model, as widely understood and applied to media ethics, seriously belies aristotle s intent. July 5, 20 by josh rueff on july 01, 20 whoever said, life isnt about the destination, its about the journey id like to thank that person. Most ethicists think the strongest ethical theories are utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Aristotle claims that the terms eudaimonia happiness is an ultimate goal in human life and happiness is based on human nature which must begin from personal experience. Journalism and media ethics texts commonly invoke aristotle s golden mean as a principal ethical theory that models such journalistic values as balance, fairness, and proportion. Of course, aristotle like most greek philosophers prescribes a theory of moderation, but this is very different from the doctrine of the mean.
In aristotle s philosophy, virtue is a state of being, a state apt to exercise deliberate choice, being in the relative mean, determined by reason, and as the person of practical wisdom would determine. If ari is with us now, hell tell us that theres no such thing as the doctrine of the golden mean. Teleology for our purposes is any philosophical theory concerned with ends and the proper means of attaining those ends. A further philosophical theory which has been used in ethical discussions is aristotles golden mean. In this case, aristotle says that the virtuous amount of a characteristic is a golden mean, found between two vices. He taught that virtue has to do with looking for the balance between extremes the mean between excess and deficiency. However, a restatement of aristotles view in terms of sufficiency for an objective. Although aristotle is deeply indebted to platos moral philosophy, particularly. Pdf the archer and aristotles golden mean glen koehn. He has set a rule for his nicomachean ethics theory which is golden mean so that they can achieve the final goal, which called universally happiness. Virtues represent the mean between excess and deficiency.
Aristotle describes a virtue as a mean or intermediate. Mean 441 there is a connection between the two, however, and it is sufficient to lend plausibility to aristotle s ethical theory. Sometimes, his philosophy referred to as virtue ethics in order to shape peoples character. Aristotles golden mean aristotle considered ethics to be a practical rather than theoretical study aristotle on virtue.
And the doctrine of the mean was not entirely his invention. Aristotle distinguishes between two types of virtue, intellectual virtues which involves choice, knowing. The aristotles theory of golden mean is extracted from virtue ethics, which concerns with the building of good character. Our great american middle and aristotles golden mean. He was the founder of formal logic, devising for it a finished. Find a moderate position between those two extremes, and you will be acting morally. With respect to the good, right, happiness, the good is not a disposition. Citing exercise as an example, too much or too little can be bad and make a person sick, a balance is necessary and that balance will be different from person to person. Furthermore, every ethical virtue is a condition intermediate a golden mean as it is. Aristotles virtue theory essay sample new york essays. Thus, courage, for example, is the mean between two extremes. In this video, i explain his golden mean mean between. Aristotle on happiness a little background aristotle is one of the greatest thinkers in the history of western science and philosophy, making contributions to logic, metaphysics, mathematics, physics, biology, botany, ethics, politics, agriculture, medicine, dance and theatre. The practical import of aristotles doctrine of the mean 3 trivial and obvious4 platitudinous and a practical futility barnes, 26.
Today, we would like to discuss about aristotles golden mean. The name comes from the greek word telos usually translated as end, goal, or aim. Aristotle defined virtue as the desirable middle ground between two extremes, the golden mean. It is a matter of common experience that certain qualities of character which are.
It should be evident that aristotles treatment of virtues as mean. Journalism and media ethics texts commonly invoke aristotles golden mean as a principal ethical theory that models such journalistic values as balance, fairness. Aristotles ethics is sometimes referred to as virtue ethics since its focus is not on the moral weight of duties or obligations, but on the. Aristotle asks the question as to whether there is some good that all other. Practical wisdom aristotle aristotles forms of virtues the golden. Aristotle develops the doctrine of the mean in book ii of the nicomachean ethics ne.
The aristotle s theory of golden mean is extracted from virtue ethics, which concerns with the building of good character. The mean is not an arithmetical mean, but a point on a scale between two extreme dispositions which represent the excess and deficiency of a virtuous trait. How to be happy, according to aristotles 11 virtues big. The virtue of charity, this is the golden mean between miserliness and giving more than you can afford. The practical import of aristotles doctrine of the mean. Is aristotles doctrine of the mean a plausible guide to moral goodness. Moral behavior is the mean between two extremes at one end is excess, at the other deficiency. You dont have to be much of a philosopher to realize that finding a middle way is often better than going to either extreme. He was a student of plato who in turn studied under socrates. Aristotles virtue ethics the following is another essay i wrote back in 2008. Balance, moderation and harmony are generally desirable. As human beings we have certain moral rights and duties. Pdf aristotles virtue ethics as a conceptual framework. Aristotle is the philosopher that views his ethical theory by scientific view.
The golden mean, as it was coined, is intended to help people identify which states of character are virtuous. It was in the second chapter of his nicomachean ethics, where he talks of moderation as a virtue. Moral behavior is the mean between two extremes at one end is excess, at the other. Pdf lecture in saint james university hospital, leeds, uk find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. The golden mean in aristotles nicomachean ethics each moral virtue is a mean or lies between extremes of pleasure or of action doing or feeling too much or too little. According to aristotle s ethical rule about the golden mean, to use a thing with virtue is a kind of moderation, as it leads the particular thing being in a good condition, and allows for its functions to be performed in a proper manner. For aristotle, the mean is a way to discover a definition of virtue, not a guide for action. As gordon et al explains, virtue is a state of character with choices of a moderate nature, a kind of balance determined by a rational person possessing practical wisdom. Introduction aristotles 384 bc 322 bc doctrine of the mean has a privileged place in one of the grand moral traditions, that of virtue ethics. It is sometimes claimed that aristotles theory of the mean is false or unhelpful. Aristotles ethics the golden mean flashcards quizlet. Aristotles golden mean as theory deterioration1 by stanley b.
The mean as stated by aristotle refers to the idea that too much or too little of something can be the same amount of bad. Today, we would like to discuss about aristotle s golden mean. As the novel opens, king philip presses aristotle into service as a teacher of the young princes of macedon, forcing aristotle to postpone his dreams of succeeding plato as. Aristotle holds the view that moral virtues lie at the mean between extremes of excess and deficiency. The golden mean philosophy was proposed by greek philosopher aristotle. The golden mean not an arithmetic mean but a relative mean the proper application of a quality in a given context virtue is defined as the mean between the vice of excess and the vice of deficiency too much of a characteristic is as bad as too little each of us must assess our abilities and have a good. However, a restatement of aristotle s view in terms of sufficiency for an objective. Journalism and media ethics texts commonly invoke aristotles golden mean as a principal ethical theory that models such journalistic values as balance. This critique of the golden mean is aimed at being a specific example of one of the general problems i listed in my last post that ancient greek philosophers routinely present theories that sound grand but dont actually have any meaning. Aristotles ethics virtue and happiness teleology and virtue teleology aristotles ethical theory is teleological in nature. Thus, virtue is in the middle of two vices, that is called the golden mean. Aristotles ethics is a common sense ethics built on naturalism and selfrealization. Appearing in greek thought at least as early as the delphic maxim nothing to excess and emphasized in later aristotelian philosophy, the golden mean or golden middle way is the desirable middle between two extremes, one of excess and the other of deficiency for example, in the aristotelian view, courage is a virtue, but if taken to excess would manifest as recklessness, and, in deficiency.
Aristotle argued that everyone will build up a good character trait through practice, ethics and virtue in order to achieve selfhappiness. Aristotle is initially reluctant to set aside his own ambitions in order to tutor the rebellious son of his boyhood friend, philip of macedon. Posted in philosophy, psychiatrypsychology aristotle ethics golden mean happiness moral philosophy nicomachean ethics table of virtues the good life virtue published by neel burton neel burton is a psychiatrist, philosopher, writer, and winelover who lives and teaches in oxford, england. A dead simple guide to aristotles philosophy of golden mean. It is not surprising that when the doctrine of the mean is viewed as a metaethical thesis, it should appear to possess no substantive content. It is sometimes claimed that aristotle s theory of the mean is false or unhelpful. Obviously, aristotle cannot be blamed for later distortions of his doctrine. Aristotle was a student of plato, who was a student of socrates. Aristotles virtue ethics as a conceptual framework for the study and practice of social work in modern times, european journal of social work, doi. If there ever was a cliche id be willing to live my life by, its that one. Aristotles theory of golden mean is referred as a virtue ethics because. While bans and related enforcement efforts remain in place, scholars continue to disagree over the merits of the prohibitions themselves.
498 1616 1042 1466 280 1367 313 1600 1172 218 1342 958 568 381 1258 1535 193 1111 880 762 749 1035 1629 1387 1010 1499 82 20 76 782 677 312 1079 476 1371