A Reflection on Aristotle's Definition of Moral Virtue and Its Components

Document Type : Scientific-research

Authors

1 Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Imam Sadiq University (AS), Tehran, Iran.

2 Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Faculty of Theology, Imam Sadiq University (AS), Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Aristotle presents the concept of virtue in both epistemological and ontological layers. His primary concern is the ontology of virtue, or in other words, the formation of virtue and the process of becoming virtuous. However, this does not mean that the epistemological layer, which involves defining and understanding the nature of virtue, is neglected. According to Aristotle, virtue is a disposition that leads to choice, and this choice is composed of both desire and reflection. This study aims to analytically examine the nature of choice and discuss the relationship between desire and reflection in terms of priority and causality. Furthermore, the concept of virtue is closely tied to the doctrine of the mean, which has been critiqued from various perspectives. This research seeks to defend the doctrine of the mean by offering an interpretation that not only addresses criticisms regarding its metaphorical and practical shortcomings but also reconciles the quantitative and qualitative interpretations of the theory.

Keywords

References

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