Aristotle's conception of the good person
"For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them. Men become builders by building and lyre players by playing the lyre; so too we become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts."
- Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics
The elements that constitute Aristotle's conception of the good person, primarily sourced from his Nicomachean Ethics.
1. Virtue as excellence
The good person develops and exercises excellence of character through practical wisdom, moral virtues, and finding the mean between extremes. This involves both intellectual and moral virtues working together harmoniously.
2. Habituation and practice
Virtues are developed through repeated practice and conscious choice, not just natural disposition. The good person actively works to cultivate good character through deliberate practice over time.
3. Function (Ergon)
Humans' distinctive function is rational activity in accordance with virtue. The good person fulfills this function by using reason well in both theoretical matters and practical affairs.
4. Social nature
The good person is inherently social and political, contributing to the polis and forming meaningful friendships. They understand that human flourishing requires community engagement.
5. Activity vs. potential
The good person actively exercises virtues rather than merely possessing the capacity for virtue. They consistently act virtuously in concrete situations.
6. Self-sufficiency (Autarkeia)
The good person achieves relative self-sufficiency while recognizing proper dependence on external goods. They maintain stability of character despite fortune's changes.
7. Pleasure and activity
The good person takes appropriate pleasure in virtuous actions and maintains the right orientation toward pleasure and pain. They find higher pleasures in noble activities while not being governed by bodily pleasures.
8. Self-knowledge and assessment
They have accurate self-knowledge about their capabilities and limitations, can judge their own character and actions objectively, and know when to seek others' counsel.
9. Great-souledness (Megalopsychia)
They have proper pride and self-esteem while maintaining graciousness toward others. They know their own worth without becoming arrogant.
10. Integration of character
Their virtues form a unified whole with consistency across different situations. Their emotions, reason, and actions align harmoniously, with reason guiding emotions appropriately.
11. Time and development
They understand virtue requires a complete life and maintain virtue over time. They continue developing throughout life rather than reaching a fixed endpoint.
12. Relationship to fortune
They handle both good and bad fortune with equanimity and make the best use of circumstances. They understand the role of external goods without being dependent on them.
13. Intellectual virtues
They cultivate both theoretical and practical wisdom, understanding first principles. They develop technical knowledge appropriate to their role.
14. Decision-making
They deliberate well about means to ends and have the right conception of the good. Their choices reflect both reason and character working together.
15. Role of education
They benefit from and continue proper education throughout life. They can teach others through example.
16. Relationship to law
They understand and respect just laws while going beyond mere legal compliance. They help maintain and improve the political community.
17. Relationship to nature
They understand and act in accordance with natural law and human nature. They recognize their place in the natural order.
18. Friendship and love (Philia)
They are capable of true friendship based on virtue and maintain proper relationships. They love what is truly good.
19. Household management
They manage their household well and understand proper relationships between family members. They handle property and wealth appropriately.
20. Speech and communication
They use language truthfully and appropriately, engaging in meaningful dialogue. They contribute to political deliberation effectively.
21. Unity of the virtues
Their virtues form an interconnected whole where each supports the others. Full virtue requires having all virtues integrated through practical wisdom.
