Aristotle: The Moral And Intellectual Virtues

Question 1

What did Aristotle write about?

Answer 1

Ethics, politics, rhetoric, nature, logic, and metaphysics

Question 2

What is the first object of ethics according to Aristotle?

Answer 2

Goodness or the good itself

Question 3

What are the three basic kinds if goods listed by Aristotle?

Answer 3

Useful goods, pleasurable goods, and beautiful goods (things that are good in themselves)

Question 4

What is the highest good to Aristotle?

Answer 4

Happiness. That is, a complete or full life that corresponds to what is proper to human nature (virtue)

Question 5

What is virtue?

Answer 5

The excellence or perfection of a thing

Question 6

What are the two classes of virtue?

Answer 6

Intellectual (truth as their object) and moral (oriented towards the good)

Question 7

For Aristotle, moral virtues are:

Answer 7

Active, acquired by habit, training one to choose the good, a mean between two extremes, determined by prudence, and aimed at taking pleasure in choosing good

Question 8

Magnificence

Answer 8

A virtue directed toward money. The giving of grand and conspicuous things

Question 9

Magnanimous man

Answer 9

Considers himself and is worthy of great things

Question 10

Vain man

Answer 10

Considers himself worthy of great things but isn’t

Question 11

Pusillanimous man

Answer 11

Worthy of great things but doesn’t believe it

Question 12

Why does Aristotle consider contemplation to be the best way of life?

Answer 12

It is intrinsically pleasing and is a self-sufficient activity. He also believed it to be the most godlike activity.