Aristotle’s Method in Ethics: Philosophy in Practice

290 Pages·2019·2.27 MB·English

by  Joseph Karbowski

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ARISTOTLE S METHOD IN ETHICS
This book examines Aristotle’s method in ethics from the vantage
point of his broader conception of philosophy. Joseph Karbowski
challengeslongstandingdialecticalorthodoxyandarguesinsteadthat
Aristotle, in his ethical treatises, is seeking the first principles of
ademonstrativeethicalscience,ascienceofhumangoodness,using
an ethically adapted version of the method described in the second
bookofhisPosteriorAnalytics.PartIofthisvolumedevelopsanovel
interpretation of Aristotle’s conception of philosophy, which high-
lights its ambition to scientific knowledge (epistēmē) and its flexible
approach to philosophical inquiry. Part II then demonstrates
Aristotle’s scientific and flexible approach to philosophy at work in
hisethicaltreatises.Thebookshowshowtheaspirationtoscientific
knowledge is compatible with Aristotle’s remarks about ethical pre-
cision,thepracticalaimofethics,andtheparticular-orientednessof
phronēsis(practicalwisdom).
joseph karbowski is Visiting Assistant Professor in the
Philosophy Department at the University of Pittsburgh. He has
publishednumerousarticlesonAristotle’sethics,politics,epistemol-
ogy,philosophyofscience,andnaturalphilosophy.

’
ARISTOTLE S METHOD IN
ETHICS
Philosophy in Practice
JOSEPH KARBOWSKI
UniversityofPittsburgh
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For Mieczyslaw and Lois Karbowski, who are the Best

Contents
Acknowledgments pageix
ListofAbbreviations xi
Introduction 1
TheDialecticalOrthodoxy 2
TowardaScientificReadingofAristotle’sMethodinEthics 4
AristotleonPhilosophyandItsMethod 5
Aristotle’sMethodinEthics:PhilosophyinPractice 11
AConcludingNoteonAristotle’sEthicalTreatises 17
part i the nature of aristotelian philosophy
1 DialecticalReasoningandtheDialecticalCraft 21
1.0 Introduction 21
1.1 DialecticalReasoning 22
1.2 TheDialecticalCraft 31
1.3 PeirasticDialectic 41
1.4 Conclusion 51
2 TheEnterpriseofPhilosophy 52
2.0 Introduction 52
2.1 AnImportantPreliminary 53
2.2 Truth,Principles,andDemonstration 55
2.3 PhilosophicalKnowledgeandTheory 62
2.4 TheArchitectureofPhilosophy 72
2.5 Conclusion 76
3 Aristotle’sScientificandFlexiblePhilosophicalMethod 78
3.0 Introduction 78
3.1 Irwin’sDevelopmentalHypothesis 79
3.2 TowardAristotle’sPhilosophicalMethod 83
3.3 TheNormsofPhilosophicalInquiry:theAPoIIMethod 88
3.4 LocalPhilosophicalNorms 100
3.5 Topic-SpecificNorms 102
3.6 JudgmentinPhilosophicalInquiry 105
3.7 TransitiontoPartII 105
vii
viii Contents
part ii philosophy in practice
4 MethodintheEudemianEthics 109
4.0 Introduction 109
4.1 TheGlobalMethodoftheTreatise 110
4.2 Aristotle’sArgumentativePractice 120
4.3 TheScientificandFlexibleMethodoftheEudemianEthics 131
4.4 Conclusion 135
5 EthicalPrecisionandthePracticalNecessityofEpistēmē 136
5.0 Introduction 136
5.1 EthicalPrecision 137
5.2 IsEpistēmēUnnecessaryinEthics? 146
5.3 ThePracticalNecessityofEthicalEpistēmē 151
5.4 Conclusion:Aristotle’sContributiontoMoralEducation 161
6 Facts,Principles,andAristotle’sDemonstrativeEthicalScience 163
6.0 Introduction 163
6.1 EthicalStartingPoints 164
6.2 EthicalFirstPrinciples 172
6.3 Aristotle’sDemonstrativeEthicalScience 185
6.4 Conclusion 187
7 StrategicFlexibilityintheNicomacheanEthics 188
7.0 Introduction 188
7.1 MethodologicalNormsintheTreatise 188
7.2 TheGlobalMethodologyoftheTreatise 197
7.3 TheInquiryintoHappiness 200
7.4 TheInquiryintoCharacterVirtue 205
7.5 TheInquiryintotheVoluntary 211
7.6 Conclusion 215
8 TheAutonomyofEthics 217
8.0 Introduction 217
8.1 TheJustificatoryAutonomyofEthics 218
8.2 TheExplanatoryAutonomyofEthics 229
8.3 Conclusion 244
Conclusion 246
Bibliography 249
SubjectIndex 259
IndexLocorum 265