Why does Aristotle Think that Ethical Virtue is Required for Practical Wisdom?
Abstract In this paper, I ask why Aristotle thinks that ethical virtue (rather than mere self-control) is required for practical wisdom. I argue that a satisfactory answer will need to explain why being prone to bad appetites implies a failing of the rational part of the soul. I go on to claim that...
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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2012
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| _version_ | 1797056473035964416 |
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| author | Coope, U |
| author_facet | Coope, U |
| author_sort | Coope, U |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Abstract In this paper, I ask why Aristotle thinks that ethical virtue (rather than mere self-control) is required for practical wisdom. I argue that a satisfactory answer will need to explain why being prone to bad appetites implies a failing of the rational part of the soul. I go on to claim that the self-controlled person does suffer from such a rational failing: a failure to take a specifically rational kind of pleasure in fine action. However, this still leaves a problem: could there not be someone who (unlike the self-controlled person) took the right kind of pleasure in fine action, but who failed to be virtuous on account of bad appetites? If so, would such a person be practically wise but not virtuous? I end with some suggestions about how Aristotle might answer this. © 2012 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T19:23:14Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:1ad47c78-75d7-4113-bc93-642d3626577b |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T19:23:14Z |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:1ad47c78-75d7-4113-bc93-642d3626577b2022-03-26T10:56:58ZWhy does Aristotle Think that Ethical Virtue is Required for Practical Wisdom?Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:1ad47c78-75d7-4113-bc93-642d3626577bEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2012Coope, UAbstract In this paper, I ask why Aristotle thinks that ethical virtue (rather than mere self-control) is required for practical wisdom. I argue that a satisfactory answer will need to explain why being prone to bad appetites implies a failing of the rational part of the soul. I go on to claim that the self-controlled person does suffer from such a rational failing: a failure to take a specifically rational kind of pleasure in fine action. However, this still leaves a problem: could there not be someone who (unlike the self-controlled person) took the right kind of pleasure in fine action, but who failed to be virtuous on account of bad appetites? If so, would such a person be practically wise but not virtuous? I end with some suggestions about how Aristotle might answer this. © 2012 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden. |
| spellingShingle | Coope, U Why does Aristotle Think that Ethical Virtue is Required for Practical Wisdom? |
| title | Why does Aristotle Think that Ethical Virtue is Required for Practical Wisdom? |
| title_full | Why does Aristotle Think that Ethical Virtue is Required for Practical Wisdom? |
| title_fullStr | Why does Aristotle Think that Ethical Virtue is Required for Practical Wisdom? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Why does Aristotle Think that Ethical Virtue is Required for Practical Wisdom? |
| title_short | Why does Aristotle Think that Ethical Virtue is Required for Practical Wisdom? |
| title_sort | why does aristotle think that ethical virtue is required for practical wisdom |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT coopeu whydoesaristotlethinkthatethicalvirtueisrequiredforpracticalwisdom |