Ethics

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Aristotle on Virtue

Module 12 Aristotle on Virtue

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. To know Aristotle’s understanding of virtue
2. To learn about Telos philosophy of Aristotle
3. To understand happiness in Aristotle’s point of view

Virtue according to Aristotle

Aristotle believed that virtue (arête) is a trait of mind or character that helps us achieve a
good life guided by reason. Virtues may be intellectual and moral. The first deals with qualities of
mind and character that promote critical thinking, and the pursuit of truth. Moral virtues talks
about behaving in the right manner that differentiate need from avarice that lead to vice. Aristotle
mentioned that anything that is passion, a faculty or a state (trait) of character is part of the soul
(the mind) that regulates vice and virtue. Virtues are part of the soul, they must be in union with
the following:
1. Passions: By ‘passions’ we mean our bodily needs and stimuli (examples are the need for
food, drink, sex, etc.), our emotions, and any feelings that accompany either pleasure or pain. We
must keep in mind though that these cannot be virtues per se because. a. passions cannot exactly
define a goodness or character of a person. b. We can never choose our passions because it is
inherent in person, however virtues are related to the choices we make. we cannot will what we
want for passions come to man it is only his decision in relation to that passion that create virtues.
c. Virtues center only on our responses; they are not desires that actually motivate us.
2. Faculties: are stimuli that we get from our senses. They are not actually virtues but these
perceptions can guide us in the creation of virtues.
3. Virtues must be states of character. Aristotle defines it as ‘the things in virtue of which
we stand well or badly with reference to the passions’. Character is formed, by means of a person’s
decisions in relation to what they feel, how they think, how they react, the choices they make, as
well as their reaction based in a given situation. For example someone is short-tempered often to
feel angry at the slightest provocation; quick-witted people can think and decide in an instant and
so on. Character traits last much longer and change less easily than many ‘states of mind’, such as
moods and desires. But as what everybody believes character changes as well.
Aristotle’s Telos Philosophy
Aristotle widely known as the ancient Greek father of western philosophy, believed that
there is purpose in life, and he called that purpose as telos. The word might be interchanges with
‘purpose,’ ‘intent,’ ‘end,’ or ‘goal,’. Aristotle for his part, termed it as the inherent purpose of each
thing. He refers it as the ultimate reason for each thing being the way it is, regardless as to
whether it was man-made or created by nature.

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Man-made objects
Take for example a coffee mug. A simple definition is that it is metal, plastic or ceramic-
handled object that can carry hot liquid; but the mug reveals other purpose. You can’t use your
coffee mug to contain petrol or book cover. Describing the color, texture or height of the object
might be useful; but doing so would miss the most important thing about it, it’s very reason for
existing – it’s telos. The coffee mug was created by humans to drink of coffee with, and every
human artifact is made for a specific purpose—chairs for sitting, cars for driving, television shows
for entertaining.
Natural Objects
What about natural objects? Do they have inherent purposes? Can we make a definition of
them sans any reference to religious beliefs? Aristotle said that the telos of a plant or animal is
also ‘what it was made for’ that we can be observe. For example, the trees’ purpose is to grow,
develop branches, produce fruit, nuts, or flowers, provide shade, and reproduce. The telos of a tree
is something that can make use of its full potential –the very purpose why it was created. Some
observers include the telos of a tree is it’s eventually decaying and death, and perhaps that is part
of it, but Aristotle could disagree by saying that the telos of a thing is that which it does when it
fulfills its full potential.
Humans
Humans according to Aristotle, has happiness as the telos for human beings. The Greeks
termed it as or eudemonia that also means something more like “fulfillment.” By what Fulfillment
is he speaking of? Man of all beings has the potential for excellence, or “virtues” in English
translations of Aristotle. Aristotle defined “virtue” as referring to artistic, scientific, athletic, or any
other kind of excellence. When man performed a chore such as painting a masterpiece, winning an
athletic event or aspiring for scholastic honors happiness can be achieved once one aims for
perfection.
Aristotle’s definition of Happiness
"Happiness depends on ourselves." More than anybody else, Aristotle enshrines happiness
as a central purpose of human life and a goal in itself. As a result, he devotes more time in pursuing
happiness than any other topic to think about in the modern era. Living during the same period as
Mencius, but on the other side of the world, he draws some similar conclusions. Aristotle was
convinced that in order to attain a completely happy life requires the fulfillment of a broad range
of conditions, including physical as well as mental well-being. Essentially, Aristotle argues that
virtue is achieved by maintaining the Mean, which is the balance of the mind to a state of
equilibrium.
References and Supplementary Materials
Books and Journals
1. Montemayor, Felix; Ethics the Philippines; Navotas Metro Manila; National Book Store

Online Supplementary Reading Materials

 Ethics
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Aristotle on Virtue

1. Aristotle on Virtue; http://documents.routledge-

interactive.s3.amazonaws.com/9781138793934/A22014/ethical_theories/Aristotle
%20on%20virtue.pdf;
2. Philosophy of Terms; http://philosophyterms.com/telos/
3. The Pursuit of Happiness; http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/history-of-
happiness/aristotle/

Written by:
Christopher S. Espiritu
AMACC Caloocan Campus

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