Aristotle

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Aristotle

• Persuasion as rhetoric.
• Aristotle attempts to give his reader his opinion and force the reader to agree with his main points in regards to being good, moral, and happy.

Aristotle cont.

• "I think it is safe to say that we must start from what is known to us."
• "This, then, may be taken as a rough outline of the good; for this, I think, is the proper method."

Analysis

The Supremacy of Statecraft

• Aristotle points out that life would make sense if the things we do that are good had some substantial meaning and "end".
• Levels of Meaning for good deeds
• Individual vs. Group
• Aristotle believes it to be better to do a good moral thing for a group
• Example: Donating to a Charity, Soup Kitchens, cleaning ecosystems (recycling), etc.

Precision in Teaching and Learning

• Aristotle believes that doing too many good things sometimes does more harm than good.
• This idea can be related to baking.
• But we gain experience which makes us capable of making a near-perfect batch of cookies.

Precision in Teaching and Learning cont.

• Aristotle further explains that whatever you pursue, be good at it. This will make you happy.
• He says that "each man can form a judgement about what he knows."
• This concept is based on experience; therefore, young people can not understand what is truly good and what can truly make us happy.

The Good Is Happiness

• All knowledge and all purpose aim at some good.
• To "live well" or to "do well" is the same as to be happy.
• According to a society, what is happiness?

Conflicting Views on What Happiness Is

• There are three kinds of life: life of enjoyment, life of statesman, and life of the contemplative.
• Men aim at nothing higher than the life of enjoyment.

Happiness As Man's Highest Good

• Good=End
• The final good is self-sufficient.
• What is the function of man?

Confirmation by Current Views

• Three different goods: external goods, goods of the soul, and goods of the body.
• Happiness is an excellence that one must work for and can use material objects to help attain.

How Happiness Is Attained

• Many believe happiness is attained by four things.
• There are many ways to attain happiness.
• Happiness is NEVER attained by chance.

Can Man Be Happy During Life?

• Solon states happiness is obtained until the end of our life. Do you believe this to be true?
• Fortune brings happiness to men.
• True worth outshines great misfortunes.
• Man's doings determine the character of life.

The Division of Man's Excellence

• Statesmen care about virtues.
• Always seek the good and happiness of man.
• Look at the soul and nothing else.
• There are two parts to the soul: rational and irrational.
• There are different types of excellence.

Our Own Opinions

What do you guys think?

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Works Cited

• Aristotle. "The Aim of Man." World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. 9th ed. Ed. Lee Jacobus. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2013. 1-11. E-book file.
• Mead, Margaret. "Sex and Temperament." World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. 9th ed. Ed. Lee Jacobus. Boston/St. Martins, 2013. 710-721. Print.