Habit and Virtue
Habit and Virtue
Aristotle says that we are all endowed by nature with the ability to reach virtue, but he also says that we become virtuous by making virtuous acts. He explains how acting upon virtuous acts could possibly become “second nature”, which means it could become a habit. What he is trying to imply is that normally things become a habit if you work on it a lot, so by working on virtuous acts could make it a habit. This could happen if people are put into situations in which they demonstrate courage. This could avoid the act of being a cower. What Aristotle’s main point in “Habit and Virtue” is that there are certain types of virtues. Some virtues you inhabit by the way virtue is used around you. Another way is the way you are taught to use virtue. Virtues could be habited by your surroundings, which are varied from ethos. Some could be the way they teach it to you, or by experience. As Aristotle says, there are two sorts of virtues. One is virtue of thought, and another is virtue of character. He tries to imply that virtue does not come from nature, but from habituation. Just as Aristotle says what is natural can not be changed by habituation. For example a ball moves down a hill, and habituation can not make it go up a hill. We all acquire virtue. We become virtuous if we do virtuous acts, just like we become brave by doing brave actions. Although virtue actions could be good and bad. Some could make you just, or unjust. Aristotle implies how actions determine the character of states that we acquire. What he means by this is that by the way you act, and you actions is the characteristics of you. For example if you act sweet, in such as opening a door for a person gives you the character of nice and kind. Now if you cuss in public, that gives you the character of being disrespectful. Virtue requires practice, not just theory. It also requires habituation. To sum everything up, Aristotle tries to explain how virtue could become a
Aristotle says that we are all endowed by nature with the ability to reach virtue, but he also says that we become virtuous by making virtuous acts. He explains how acting upon virtuous acts could possibly become “second nature”, which means it could become a habit. What he is trying to imply is that normally things become a habit if you work on it a lot, so by working on virtuous acts could make it a habit. This could happen if people are put into situations in which they demonstrate courage. This could avoid the act of being a cower. What Aristotle’s main point in “Habit and Virtue” is that there are certain types of virtues. Some virtues you inhabit by the way virtue is used around you. Another way is the way you are taught to use virtue. Virtues could be habited by your surroundings, which are varied from ethos. Some could be the way they teach it to you, or by experience. As Aristotle says, there are two sorts of virtues. One is virtue of thought, and another is virtue of character. He tries to imply that virtue does not come from nature, but from habituation. Just as Aristotle says what is natural can not be changed by habituation. For example a ball moves down a hill, and habituation can not make it go up a hill. We all acquire virtue. We become virtuous if we do virtuous acts, just like we become brave by doing brave actions. Although virtue actions could be good and bad. Some could make you just, or unjust. Aristotle implies how actions determine the character of states that we acquire. What he means by this is that by the way you act, and you actions is the characteristics of you. For example if you act sweet, in such as opening a door for a person gives you the character of nice and kind. Now if you cuss in public, that gives you the character of being disrespectful. Virtue requires practice, not just theory. It also requires habituation. To sum everything up, Aristotle tries to explain how virtue could become a