 A virtue (arete, excellence) is a character trait,

ACQUIRED BY PRACTICE , that

disposes a person to adopt the RIGHT
COURSE OF ACTION in morally charged
situations.

Virtues are LIFE- SKILLS that enable a person

to realize their potential for living the good life as a
rational, social, animal.
 VIRTUOUS CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED BY
A SINGLE ACT.
 Virtues allow us to perform our function well (our
function being the activity of the soul in accordance with
reason)
 EXCELLENCE is an activity of the
HUMAN SOUL and therefore, ONE
NEEDS to understand the very structure.
 HUMAN SOUL is divided into 2 :
IRRATIONAL ELEMENT and RATIONAL
ELEMENT
 IRRATIONAL ELEMENT = cannot be dictated by
reason
VEGETATIVE ASPECT = giving nutrition and
providing physical growth of a person.
APPETATIVE ASPECT = desiring faculty of man
 RATIONAL ASPECT = man exercises excellence
in him.
 MORAL ASPECT = concern with the act of doing
 INTELLECTUAL ASPECT = concern with the act of knowing

 One LEARNS and GAINS WISDOM by being

TAUGHT or by LEARNING.
 PHILOSOPHICAL WISDOM = helps one
understand the meaning of life

 PRACTICAL WISDOM = provides us with a

guide on how to behave in our daily lives.
 Constant act of choosing and
doing the good forms a person’s
character.

 Character then becomes the

identification mark of the person.