PHILOS 2YY3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Virtue Ethics, Practical Reason, Phronesis
2 Apr 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Suppose that the things achievable in action have some end that we wish for because of itself most people virtually agree : happiness. Aristotle"s argument for happiness as the good". Although different acts have different ends, the end of any action establishes the good of the action. If all action seeks the good, then the good is the common end of all action. Happiness is the common end of all particular actions. Because happiness is apparently something complete and self-sufficient it is the good". Aristotle: perhaps we will find the best good if we first find the function of the human being. Tripartite theory of the soul (psyche): 1) nutritive soul, 2) sensitive soul, 3) rational soul. The distinguishing function of humans is rationality. Human happiness will depend on the activity and actions of the soul that involve reason". The proper exercise of rational capacity is virtue.
