Aristotle's Ethics

Overview

In lecture four, we study Aristotle's ethics, focusing on his concept of eudaimonia (human flourishing) as the highest good, achieved through the activity of the soul in accordance with reason and virtue. We examine his doctrine of the mean, where virtues represent a balance between extremes, his emphasis on character formation through habituation, and the central importance of friendship in the good life. The lecture also addresses contemporary situationist critiques of virtue ethics, which challenge the stability of character traits, while defending Aristotle's view that moral excellence develops over time through practice and exemplary models.