Aristotle

According to Aristotle “the function of man is an activity of the soul which
follows or implies a rational principle” (Nicomachean Ethics). Discuss the role

of reason in Aristotle’s virtue ethics. (December 2020)
Aristotle was an Ancient Greek philosopher and scientist who lived from 384
B.C. to 322 B.C. He is still considered as one of the greatest thinkers in politics,
psychology, and ethics. Aristotle was born in Macedonia and enrolled in Plato’s
Academy when he was 17. He tutored Alexander the Great and also founded
his own school, called the Lyceum, in Athens, where he spent the majority of
the rest of his life studying, teaching and writing. Some of his most notable
works include Nichomachean Ethics, Politics, Metaphysics and Poetics.
Aristotle, in contrast to Plato who took very little notice of the changes in
nature, was preoccupied with natural processes. He studied frogs and fish,
plants etc by using his senses as opposed to Plato who used his reason.
Aristotle divided ‘living things’ into two categories. One is made up of plants
and the other is made up of creatures. The creatures can be further divided
into two subcategories: humans and animals. For Aristotle, human beings are
simply one type of animal, the species ‘homo sapiens’ and so, we can know
what makes us different from the rest of the animal or even plant life.
Considering the good life of a living thing is not merely surviving but
flourishing. This also applies to human beings. Simply ‘not dying’ is not the aim
for a ‘good life’ but rather a life that strives for excellence in human qualities.
Aristotle’s ’good life’ is explained as “activity of the soul in accordance with
virtue” in his book the Nicomachean Ethics. In this context, ‘soul’ is the psyche,
which refers to the humans’ mind while virtue is arete, meaning excellence or
living in the best way possible. In his work, Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle
suggests that the ultimate purpose of human life is to achieve eudaimonia,
which is often translated as living a fulfilled life. Reason has a pivotal role in
Aristotle’s virtue ethics since it guides human actions and character
development.
The emphasis that Aristotle puts on human beings as being ‘Rational animals’
does not simply refer to our academic and intellectual abilities but rather,
human intelligence in all aspects of life. According to Aristotle, Practical
Wisdom or phronesis is placed at the centre of a good life, rather than
intellectual ability, because even a highly intelligent mind needs guidance by
good sense of reason to be successful. According to Aristotle, the exemplary
human life is not one of extravagant feats and huge achievements but one of
moderation. It is a philosophy of sensibility and ‘down to earth’. The ideal
person to lead a good life is one who is middle aged, educated, financially
stable and socially respected. At the same time, the worst candidate would be
someone who is inexperienced, ignorant and has no respect within his
community. As rational animals, general, all-round excellence is what matters in
one’s life rather than excellence in a few things and being mediocre in the rest.
Upon analysing human nature, Aristotle concluded that our rational aspect is
what separates us from every other living thing. This is because, like plants, we
survive, like horses, we move, feel and sense the environment around us,
however, we are the only animal that has reason. Therefore, Aristotle
concluded that “if the function of people is an activity of soul which follows or
implies a rational principle…then the human good turns out to be activity of
the soul in accordance with virtue”. This implies that reason is essential to
human nature and is the distinguishing characteristic that sets humans apart
from other beings. The rational soul enables individuals to make choices based
on reasoned thinking. Aristotle divided the soul into two parts: the irrational
and the rational. The irrational part has two areas, one is nutrition, which is in
common with plants, and the appetitive component which gives us the ability
to feel desires and is in common with animals. The rational part is also divided
into two parts: Theoretical wisdom or Sophia and Practical wisdom or
phronesis. Phronesis makes it possible for one to choose the right course of
action. Reason plays a vital role in the development of practical wisdom, as
individuals learn to apply general moral principles to particular circumstances.
Morality arises since the irrational part of the soul tends to oppose the rational
part, creating conflict. Ultimately this conflict must be won by each human to
reach Eudaimonia or what Aristotle referred to as the ‘end’ of human life.
Reason is also essential in understanding this end, as it guides individuals
towards actions that lead to a flourishing life.
The important aspect to attribute to Eudaimonia is a life that is actively
engaged rather than passively experienced. As humans, our passions and
desires can range from too little to too much. However, according to Aristotle,
it is important to find a balance between the two. He calls this the golden
mean between excess and deficiency. Reason is instrumental in finding this
mean, as humans must reflect rationally to find the virtuous path. Failing to
seek this mean in all our passions will introduce in us a weakness of either
deficiency or excess. For example, the deficiency of the virtue of courage is
cowardice, while the excess is rashness. Both of these are harmful to us in a
different way. The virtue is choosing the mean between these two. However,
this is subjective since not everyone lives in the same circumstances. Hence,
Aristotle emphasises the importance of education in the cultivation of virtue.
Reason is integral to the process of moral education, as individuals learn to
align their actions with rational principles.
In conclusion, in Aristotle’s virtue ethics, reason is the guiding force that leads
individuals to eudaimonia by shaping their character and actions. The rational
soul, practical wisdom, the pursuit of the golden mean and moral education all
highlight the importance of reason in Aristotle’s ethics. Through the cultivation
of reason, individuals, according to Aristotle, can aspire to lead virtuous lives
and attain the highest good of human existence, eudaimonia

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According to Aristotle “the function of man is an activity of the soul which

follows or implies a rational principle” (Nicomachean Ethics). Discuss the role

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