Table Of ContentRoutledge Philosophy GuideBook to 1
2
3
4
5
Aristotle
6
7
8
on Ethics
9
10
11
12
13
14
‘...for those attempting to come to grips with Aristotle’s Ethics 15
in the context of his own work and time, Hughes provides a 16
congenial and helpful introduction’ 17
Mary McCabe, King’s College London 18
19
Aristotle’s Nichomachaean Ethics is one of the most important and
20
central texts in the history of Western philosophy. It lies at the heart
21
of contemporary moral theory and is essential to understanding the
22
history of ethics.
23
Gerard J. Hughes provides students with a stimulating, clear and
24
accessible guide to Aristotle’s Nichomachaean Ethics. He explains the
25
key elements in Aristotle’s terminology and highlights the controversy
26
regarding the interpretations of his writings. The GuideBook carefully
27
explores each section of the text, and presents a detailed account of the
28
problems Aristotle was trying to address, such as happiness, responsi-
29
bility, moral education and friendship. It also examines the role that
30
Aristotle’s Ethicscontinues to play in contemporary moral philosophy
31
by comparing and contrasting his views with those widely held today.
32
Aristotle on Ethics is essential reading for all students coming
33
to Aristotle for the first time and will provide an ideal starting point
34
for anyone interested in ethical thought.
35
Gerard J. Hughes is Master of Campion Hall at the University of 36
Oxford. He is the author of The Nature of God (Routledge, 1995). 37
i Folio
mm
Routledge
Philosophy
GuideBooks
Edited by Tim Crane and Jonathan Wolff
University College London
Berkeley and the Principles of Human Knowledge
Robert J. Fogelin
Aristotle on Ethics Gerard J. Hughes
Hume on Religion David O’Connor
Leibniz and the Monadology Anthony Savile
The Later Heidegger George Pattison
Hegel on History Joseph McCarney
Hume on Morality James Baillie
Kant and the Critique of Pure Reason Sebastian Gardner
Mill on Liberty Jonathan Riley
Mill on Utilitarianism Roger Crisp
Wittgenstein and the Philosophical Investigations
Marie McGinn
Plato and the Republic Nickolas Pappas
Locke on Government D. A. Lloyd Thomas
Locke on Human Understanding E. J. Lowe
Spinoza and the Ethics Genevieve Lloyd
LONDON AND NEW YORK
R
Routledge Philosophy GuideBook to
O
Aristotle
U
on Ethics
T
L
E
D
G
E
n Gerard J. Hughes
First published 2001 British Library Cataloguing in
by Routledge Publication Data
11 New Fetter Lane, A catalogue record for this book is
London EC4P 4EE available from the British Library
Simultaneously published in Library of Congress Cataloging
the USA and Canada in Publication Data
by Routledge Hughes, Gerard J.
29 West 35th Street, Routledge Philosophy GuideBook to
New York, NY 10001 Aristotle on ethics / Gerard J.
Hughes.
Routledge is an imprint of p. cm.—(Routledge Philosophy
the Taylor & Francis Group GuideBooks)
Includes bibliographical references
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis and index
e-Library, 2003. 1. Aristotle. Nicomachaean ethics.
I. Title: Aristotle on ethics. II. Title.
© 2001 Gerard J. Hughes III. Series.
B430.H84 2001
All rights reserved. No part of this 171´.3–dc21 00-051835
book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilized in any form or by any ISBN 0-203-18157-3 Master e-book ISBN
electronic, mechanical, or other means,
now known or hereafter invented,
including photocopying and recording,
or in any information storage or ISBN 0-203-18160-3 (Adobe eReader Format)
retrieval system, without permission in ISBN 0–415–22186–2 (hbk)
writing from the publishers. ISBN 0–415–22187–0 (pbk)
C
Chapter 1 1
2
o 3
4
Contents
5
6
7
n
8
9
10
11
t
12
13
14
e
15
16
17
Acknowledgements ix
18
Note on the text x n
19
20
1 Aristotle’s life and work 1 21
22
An outline of his life and times 1 t 23
His works and philosophical
24
background 4
25
s 26
2 Style, structure and aim of 27
28
the Ethics 9
29
The Nicomachaean Ethics 9 30
Aristotle’s aim in writing the Ethics 13 31
Aristotle’s Preface (1): 32
Why do we do anything at all? 14 33
Aristotle’s Preface (2): 34
Realistic expectations 16 35
Aristotle’s Preface (3): 36
Suitable students 17 37
v Folio
CONTENTS
1 3 The fulfilled life 21
2
3 The meanings of eudaimonia and arete¯ 22
4 Fulfilled lives? 24
5 A central problem: ‘Dominant’ or ‘Inclusive’? 27
6 Two further agreed characteristics of eudaimonia 31
7 Background: Aristotle’s views on the human soul 33
8 The Function Argument 36
9 Theo¯ria and being a good citizen 45
10
11 4 Moral virtues and moral training 53
12
The definition of moral virtue 54
13
Moral training 70
14
15
16 5 Practical wisdom 83
17
Overview of the issues 84
18
Practical wisdom and theoretical ability 87
19
Is practical wisdom like other practical skills? 88
20
Practical wisdom: about means or about ends? 94
21
Practical wisdom and moral virtue 106
22
The unity of the virtues 109
23
Is Aristotle’s account defensible? 112
24
25
6 Responsibility 117
26
27 ‘Acting willingly’: sorting out common opinions 118
28 Moral conclusions: the best index of character 129
29 Responsibility for one’s character 133
30 Decisions and freedom 137
31 Additional note on ‘wanting’ 142
32
33
7 Moral failure 145
34
35 Why is moral failure problematic? 145
36 Aristotle’s solution: one interpretation 148
37 A more detailed defence 154
Folio vi
CONTENTS
8 Relationships with others 167 1
2
Aristotelian relationships 168 3
Is Aristotle an ethical egoist? 172 4
Flexibility, relationships and justice 179 5
6
9 Pleasure and the good life 183
7
The issues as they appeared to Aristotle 185 8
Aristotle’s comments on the moral arguments 188 9
The argument from opposites 190 10
Aristotle’s own view: arguments and problems 194 11
Are some pleasures not really pleasures? 199 12
Is the fulfilled life enjoyable? 205 13
14
10 Aristotle’s moral world and ours 211 15
16
Culture: acceptance and criticism 211 17
Virtues and principles 218 18
19
Glossary 223 20
Bibliography 225 21
Index 229 22
Index of texts 235 23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
vii Folio
RESPONSIBILITY
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
Folio viii
Chapter 1 1
2
3
4
Acknowledgements
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
The stimulus to write this book came from Jo Wolff. I am much
18
indebted to him for his encouragement at every stage. Especially I must
19
thank Justin Gosling for reading the entire manuscript in draft, and for
20
taking the time to make many characteristically insightful comments.
21
I am also most grateful to one of Routledge’s readers, who commented
22
in detail most helpfully and constructively. Where I have resisted any
23
of their suggestions, I have nobody to blame but myself. I should also
24
like to thank Sue Hogg and Graham Pugin for being willing to take
25
the trouble to read some of the more awkward bits and let me know
26
whether people coming to Aristotle for the first time would find it an
27
accessible introduction.
28
29
Campion Hall
30
Oxford
31
March 2000
32
33
34
35
36
37
ix Folio
