Aristotle s Philosophy On Ethics - 2206 Words

Aristotle was a premier Greek philosopher who had some very interesting concepts on ethics, which are collectively called the Nicomachean Ethics. His collection of work has led to the development of many theories on the basis for human existence. The main question by Aristotle’s series of lectures is the bane of human existence. According to Aristotle, humans seek happiness (4). If anything promises happiness, then human will go in the direction it leads. Aristotle was also just as interested in other areas such as virtue. His opinion of human ethical action is based on the rationality of human beings. Being rational beings, human beings will always assess situations before making decisions. Virtue is not only a predisposition found in†¦show more content†¦Individual civic virtues is connected to a world made up of a number of elements such as understanding individual importance the community, and seeking to serve one’s community. Without a sense of civic duty , individuals would be lost and would not know how to interrelate with other members of their community. Civic virtue is more than just acknowledging that the word is made up of more than one individual, it is accepting that one is not alone, and thus one needs to think of others when doing anything. Civic virtue is composed of various elements. One such element is participation. In order to be virtuous civically, one has to actively participate in social activities. Taking part means contributing one’s skills, expertise and thoughts on matters that are socially acceptable. Any community requires active participation of all its members, which is something that is really not seen today. Another element of civic virtue is trustworthiness. Citizens, in addition to being actively involved in what is happening in their respective societies should be able to be trusted. This is because participation sometimes being involved means being accorded responsibility of communal assets. Th ey should be wasted, and they should not be used for individual gain. This is important because sometimes people misuse things given to them by their communities, and forget that they are not alone. This may lead to corruptive practices. Lastly, the last aspect of civic virtue