Aristotle’s concept of the right

Aristotle’s concept of the right

Introduction

Moral reasoning is philosophical aspect that includes the determination of the difference between wrong and right. This is done on the basis of logic. Moral reasoning plays a vital role in the daily today lives of human beings as people are always in constant decision making processes of what is right and what is wrong. There are dilemmas that people face daily with whether they are to say the truth or to lie on certain situations. The consequences of actions are usually weighed against the morality. Moral behavior has four major components. This includes the moral sensitivity that includes the ability of humans to discern ethical dilemmas. Secondly, moral behavior deals with the ability to have a correct reasoning on what is supposed to be done in various circumstances. Moral action commitment and taking the responsibility of actions is yet an aspect of moral behavior. Lastly, moral character forms the fourth aspect. Several philosophers have exploited aspects of moral reasoning. Among them is Aristotle who greatly exploited the concept of the right.

Aristotle’s concept of the right

One may wonder what ‘right’ means or what is meant by actions being right. According to Aristotle, an action is considered to be right if the action is done in a way that it corresponds to virtues that are moral. He further emphasizes the fact that there is need for the agent who does an action to be in the right mind alongside maintaining a certain standard. Aristotle explores the case of excellence and that of arts as two different things. According to him, arts produce products that are good and bear goodness in themselves hence bearing certain characters. In the event that the actions are in line with excellences and bear specific characters then there is no guarantee that the actions are done in a temperately or justly. The condition of the agent who does the actions needs to be definite and the agent must make a choice not for the sake of anyone else but for their own sakes. The actions taken by the agents have to be based on a character that is firm and one that is unchangeable.

In his argument, Aristotle moves further to acknowledge the fact that knowledge is vital in the taking of actions while steadfast and choice are important in the reactions of affections and passion in the lives of human beings. He further emphasizes on the virtue feature especially when he argues on the fact that the proximategenus of virtue is a dispositional state or a habit in which humans make responses in a habitual manner to various episodes and aspects of like hatred, love, joy,  envy, confidence, fear , anger, appetite, pity, emulation, longing among others. This includes the feelings that are generally accompanied by pain or pleasure. Choice forms the element that is central in the action that is virtuous. This further reinforces the fact that right is also considered to be good in its own capacity.

Aristotle in his philosophy believes the fact that humans tend to act in a virtuous way through choosing a mean between two different and extreme situations which have in them a correspondence of vices. Mean is further viewed as a notion that is quantitative with its applications being warranted basically by the sense that there is a possibility in both actions and passions to set a distinction between deficiency and excess. It is obvious that people know the difference that exists between being overconfident and being afraid excessively. This can be illustrated through one who is considered to be rash or foolhardy by charging an enemy at the hoplites’’ front line while one can be considered to be a coward when he opts to remain behind in a circumstance when there is an advancement of the phalanx. However, Aristotle does not reduce these judgments that are considered to be quantitative as to be reducible to arithmetical calculations that are strict. The first issue is the change of the circumstances in the problem. He also holds a view that there cannot be a possibility even with the right way, the right aim, the right people, the right objects and the right time. Moreover, there is a variance in the subjective conditions hence mean is determined by the constitution of an individual. This is further illustrated by the fact that a wrestler may consider an amount of food to be too little yet the same amount of food may be considered as being too much for an athlete who is just upcoming. In both cases, the trainers will have to find the mean of both the wrestler and the athlete. Aristotle’s aim is to make our thinking similar to that of a trainer and a gymnast combined into one individual.

Excellence

Excellence according to Aristotle is a state that is basically shaped by the choices that lay relative to humans in a mean. Logos or reason then greatly determines excellence and is the way through which men of wisdom establish themselves. The actions that are virtuous do demand that there be a habitual and regular preference to the mean just as it is dictated by reason. Aristotle further adds the fact that the right reason is important in this precision or other there should be logos that are a true one. To him, the moral choice that is right involves choosing logos that is right through a process of deliberation which in turn a right decision is made. A logos which is right is described as one which is objective and which relates to the conditions and circumstances that surround the agent.

Prudence is considered to have a vital role in the whole process of moral choice according to the conception by Aristotle. In the logical aspect, the human good is a is a conception that is prudent in the life of a human being. Aristotle observes that this aspect comprises several goods including the actualizations of the intellectual and moral capabilities of the human being. Man is aware of the fact that the basic good is a virtuous activity and which is vital in the contribution towards his own good. Man therefore chooses to pursue this as good. The agents are in a position to determine the difference notions in the moral values and are in position to establish the circumstances that present an opportunity of exercising a specific virtue. The agent is also aware of the fact that there is a requirement by the general virtues that a choice be made concerning a mean and there be a judgment on the components of the mean. This whole concept amounts to the right as viewed by Aristotle.