PHIL 3000 Lecture 18: Lecture 18
3 May 2018
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Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics Part II
The Aristotelian Mean
• Acting virtuously is partly a matter of avoiding extremes
• The virtuous person aims at the mean
o “…the equal [i.e. mean] is an intermediate between excess and defect. By the
intermediate in the object I mean that which is equidistant from each of the
extremes…that which is neither too much nor too little” (Aristotle, Nicomachean
Ethics)
• The mean is object-relative & agent-relative
o Object-relative ex: moderation w/ respect to broccoli is different from moderation w/
respect to fried candy bars
o Agent-relative ex: moderate eating for one is different from moderate eating for a
body-builder
• To act virtuously, one achieve the mean both w/ respect to the action chosen & the
accompanying passion
o Ex: one can choose an act of charity, & one can do w/ feelings of
stinginess/desperation/generosity (only the latter is characteristic of virtue)
Volition and Virtue
• Only voluntary acts are virtuous/vicious
• Virtuous/vicious acts are praiseworthy/blameworthy, respectively
• Every involuntary act is either i) compelled by an outside source or ii) attributable to
ignorance
o I) an action compelled by an outside source is one in which “the moving principle is
outside, being a principle in which nothing is contributed by the one who acts—or,
rather, is acted upon” (Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics)
▪ Ex: a mad scientist remotely controls one’s brain & forces one to kick a puppy
▪ An action is fully compelled by an outside source only if “the cause is in the
external circumstances and the agent contributes nothing” (Aristotle,
Nicomachean Ethics)
▪ If agent contributes something, but external coercion is instrumental, case is
mixed (agent’s act is voluntary in one respect & involuntary in another in
mixed cases)
• Ex: villain orders one to kick a puppy, threatening violence if don’t
comply
• Some mixed actions are morally excusable; others aren’t
o II) an action attributable to ignorance is one agent wouldn’t perform if she knew
certain facts about situation
▪ Ex: one kicks a “Beanie Baby”, not realizing that it’s actually a small puppy
▪ Ignorant actions are morally excusable unless agent is culpably ignorant
• Fully voluntary act is one that satisfies neither i) nor ii)
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