ARISTOTLE’S NICHOMACHEAN ETHICS

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Nichomachean Ethics

What standard could be used to define

the good life?

How can the standard serve as guide

towards living the good life in the midst of
scientific progress and technological
advancement?

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Good life or not?

Getting a college degree

Traveling across the world

Succeeding in a business gesture

Healthy life

Responsible parent/student

Desires and interest

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Two types of good

Instrumental good Intrinsic good

Something worthwhile not because it leads
Desire to something else but for its own sake

“Why” question is asked until nonsense

Pleasure answer is reached

Leads to ultimate good

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 What is the ultimate good?

Eudaimonia Hedonism
Good spirit
Pleasure
Happiness—>ultimate good
Wealth
Welfare
Human flourishing Fame and honor
Prosperity
Happiness =living well, doing well
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Two Hallmarks of Eudaimonia

Virtue
morally good behavior

Excellence
excellent and valuable quality

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Is eudaimonia unique only to
humans?
Plants
non rational

Animals
partially rational

Humans
rational, theoretical, practical

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 Arête and Human Happiness

Eudaimonia is made possible by

living a life of virtue (arête)

Arête —>excellence and moral

virtue

A virtue is what makes one function

well

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Types of Virtue

Intellectual virtual
Key intellectual virtues
Education
Wisdom- guides ethical behavior
Time
Understanding-scientific endeavor and
contemplation
Experience
Achieved through formal and non formal
means
Practice
Self-taught knowledge and skills

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Types of Virtue

Moral virtue
Key moral virtues

Virtue of character Generosity-repeatedly unselfish

Temperance-repeatedly resisting and foregoing

every inviting opportunity
Habitual practice
Courage-repeatedly exhibiting the proper action
and emotional response in the time of danger

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Virtue: innate or acquired?

Virtue is like a skill, it is

acquired through repeated
practice

Moral and intellectual virtue are innate

but not everyone can acquire , can only
be acquired when repeatedly done and
practiced
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 Living a virtuous life: golden mean

Too much sugar consumption

Too much social media

Too much plastic materials

If one understands the effects of these, hence they should stop

Good relationship dynamics

Healthy environment

Contribute to wellness ->happiness

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VICE (defect/deficiency) VIRTUE: VICE (excess)
Golden Mean
Cowardice Courage Rashness
(too little confidence) (too much confidence)
Foolhardiness Courage Cowardice
(too little fear) (too much fear)
Insensibility Temperance Self-indulgence
(too little pleasure) (too much pleasure)
Stinginess Magnificence Tastelessness and vulgarity
(in giving large sums of money) (giving out large sums of money)
Undue humility Proper pride Empty vanity
(too little honor) (too much honor)
Irascibility Good temper Irascible
(too little anger) (too much anger)
Shamelessness Modesty Bashfulness
(too little shame) (too much shame)
Surliness Friendliness Flattery
(rude, unfriendly) FARivera
What then is good life?

State of being happy, healthy, and prosperous in the way we think, live
and act.

The path to good life consist of virtues of thoughts and character

Mediator between the two extremes of excess and deficiency

Happiness is the ultimate good

Happiness is living a virtuous life

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 Eudaimonia and STS
One must be guided by the Aristotelian
virtues

Medical procedures

New social media trend

Latest mobile device

Improving technology for food and safety

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 Eudaimonia and STS

ST can be ruined by under or over appreciation of the

scope and function it plays in the pursuit of uniquely
human experience of happiness.

So, should we refuse ST?

No, ethical and moral standards should be imposed on

ST.

In this case, not only scientific advancement and

technological development will flourish but also the
human person.
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References

Science, Technology and Society by Quinto

Images from google.com

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