Defining Good and Virtue Elisabeth Hasbany

Defining Good and Virtue

Aristotleʼs writing of Ethics and Platoʼs writing of Menos, Gorgias and Crito

discuss many important themes which interact with one another; two themes being

good and virtue.  Creating a definition for good becomes the main focus in much of

Aristotle and Platoʼs writing.  However, defining what is good becomes a monumental

task when virtue becomes part of goodʼs definition.  Without definitions for virtue or for

good, Aristotle and Platoʼs ideas may become a common cause of confusion in their

texts and in many readersʼ minds.  While it is much debated, throughout both Aristotle

and Platoʼs works clear evidence evidence exists explaining their perceptions on the

definition of goodness and of virtue.

Although it may seem that the definition of good comes across as an

ambiguous term, both Aristotle and Plato provide clear evidence supporting their view

on the matter. Aristotle expresses the many different ways people can define goodness

through his/her personal happiness; such as, wealth, knowledge or virtue.  While

Aristotle views wealth, knowledge and virtue as important components of personal

happiness, he makes sure to note that personal happiness alone does not constitute the

ultimate good.  He clearly states, “the good for man is an activity of the soul in

accordance with virtue” (Aristotle, Ethics, Book I, Ch. 7). Aristotleʼs definition of

happiness includes, not only the idea of a virtuous person, but that of a rational and

active person. Aristotle believes rationality and activity are critical components to the

creation of the ultimate good.  Without rationality, people would not have control over

his/her actions causing one to act without virtue.  Also, one must be active, not only in

the physical sense but mentally active and engaged in learning and life.  Aristotle

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conveys that a personʼs life cannot be determined as an achievement of ultimate good

or of happiness until one dies.  Upon death examining a personʼs life will include every

aspect of his/her life, not just the good times, but the bad as well.

Plato follows a doctrine very similar to Aristotleʼs.  Plato believes that one

cannot be good when only vying for the simple pleasures in life, “…good is not the same

as the pleasant, my friend, nor the evil as the painful” (Plato, Gorgias, 497).  Platoʼs

distinction between good and pleasant is important.  Plato implies pleasures which do

not lead toward a righteous life do not contribute to the overall goodness of a person. 

This demonstrates the difference between what is right and what is wrong in the context

of goodness.

Both Aristotle and Plato raise an important concept that became a universal

idea, ultimate good stems from a personʼs ultimate happiness.  However, while the

happiness of a person may lead to a good life, happiness cannot be defined as personal

pleasure.  Happiness must take into account virtue, rationality and righteousness,

excluding any shallow gratification in life.

There is much confusion regarding to the definition of virtue, both Aristotle and

Plato put a particular emphasis on the importance of virtue and expend a considerable

amount of energy defining virtueʼs importance. Aristotle accepts that two types of virtue

exists intellectual virtue and moral virtue.  Aristotle believes virtue is acquired through

constant learning and continuing practice of virtuous activities.  Aristotle goes on to

differentiate virtues through the learning method required for each; intellectual virtue

requires instructions while moral virtue requires dedication and practice.  Balance

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becomes the main focus in Aristotleʼs approach to teaching and understanding virtue.  

He clearly defines virtue as a balance between the many extremes in life.  Aristotle

states “…virtue is a purposive disposition…determined by a rational principle, by that

which a prudent man would use to determine it” (Aristotle, Ethics, Book II, Ch. 6).  This

means a virtuous person possess the skills to analyze and rationalize a situation before

acting.  A person without virtue may irrationally react to a situation without a full and

complete understanding of the situation; thus, causing an inappropriate and most likely

unsuitable reaction.  Aristotle clearly intellectualizes and defines virtue as the constant

and continuing practice of balancing the extremes in life, which will lead to a happy and

virtuous existence.

When comparing the ideas present in Platoʼs Meno, to the ideas present in

Aristotleʼs Ethics it becomes clear that much more discussion arouse over how to define

virtue.  In Platoʼs Meno a debates ensue over the many different elements that virtue

involves.  The first issue for debate between Socrates and Meno is how to clearly define

virtue without needing definitions for additional theoretical words and ideas such as

justice.  They considered justice an important element of virtue yet cannot come to a

consensus on how to define justice within virtueʼs limits.  In addition to defining virtue,

Socrates and Meno debate the same question Aristotle wondered: can virtue be taught?

Meno and Socrates deliberate about how to approach the subject when there is neither

a clear definition of virtue nor a clear teacher of virtue.  After much conversation they

decided that without a teacher and without students, virtue cannot be taught, it must be

a quality one possesses.  Through more conversations and musings Socrates finally

decides “that virtue appears to be present in those of us who may possess it as a gift

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from the gods” (Plato, Meno, 100b).  This line is extremely important when dissecting

the ideas of virtue presented in Meno because it defines virtue as intrinsic motivation to

live a righteous life.  However, while virtue may be an innate quality one possesses,

Meno never supplies a complete definition; instead it takes a close analysis of Gorgias

to fully understand Platoʼs definition of virtue. 

In Gorgias virtue is explored with far more depth and completion than in

Menos.  The ideas that Plato expresses in Gorgias explore the many elements which

the word virtue covers, such as power, temperance and justice. Through the dialog

between Socrates, Callicles and Chaerephon, the reader begins to see the complex

nature of virtue.  So much of virtueʼs definition resides in the complete definitions of

other words, this makes it hard to see how a clear definition of any concept can occur.

However, toward the end of Gorgias, it becomes clear that Plato views virtue in much

the same way as Aristotle, “that we must avoid doing justice more than suffering it and

above all a man must practice, not seeming good, but being good, in private and public

life…for nothing serious will happen to you if you…practice virtue” (Plato, Gorgias

527a).  This passage not only shows that Plato views the balance and practice of justice

and goodness as ways to live a virtuous life, but that living with and practicing these

ideologies is imperative to oneʼs welfare. 

Plato clearly demonstrates how important living virtuously is in Crito.  When

faced with the option of escape or the penalty of death, Socrates chooses death.  Such

a decision may seem strange when the penalty is so harsh, but Socrates chose to live

his life virtuously by not giving into lawlessness and by not violating the rules; "I cannot

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abandon the principles which I used to hold in the past simply because this accident has

happened to me” (Plato, Crito). This situation clearly illustrates Platoʼs opinion on the

importance of living life virtuously, even in the face of death.

Both Aristotleʼs and Platoʼs works clearly define good and virtue.  Aristotle

believes that good is encompassed by happiness over the course of oneʼs life and virtue

is the result of steady and ongoing practice of balancing life. While Plato shares the

same views on goodness that Aristotle expressed, Platoʼs definition of virtue varied a

little more. Platoʼs virtue expresses the idea that one must not only possess an intuitive

ability to navigate through right and wrong, but one must practice this ability in every

aspect of his/her life in order to truly be virtuous in life and in death.

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