The Function of Ethical Virtues in Aristotle’s Ethics

Abstract

The article sets a goal to show the function of moral virtue in the practical knowledge of Aristotle. For this purpose: we describe the main meanings of the concept of “arete” in an­cient Greek culture (excellence, compliance with the goal); reconstruct the main steps of Aristotle's research of the act; analyze Aristotle's conceptualization of virtue as a qualitative characteristic of activity. We show the finding of a break between the decision process (ra­tional procedures of search and analysis) and the based on desire and personal preferences choice is the main result of the analysis of the act and the creation of the concept of con­scious choice. Therefore, the very knowledge about human activity is divided into two sub­ject areas – rational and non-rational. This also correlates with the description of the struc­ture of the soul as a form of realization of human nature – the thinking and passionate / voli­tional parts are distinguished in it. In habit, Aristotle sees the possibility of controlling per­sonal preferences and, through this, the act of choice. He sees in habituation the constant work of a person on himself, training in making a choice in accordance with rationally de­fined goals. On this basis, he introduces the concept of “temper” to describe the non-rational component of activity. As a result, he divides the virtues into rational (dianoetic) and moral (ethical). Moral virtues are a cultivated parameter of individual development. It is con­cluded, the conceptualization of moral virtues makes it possible to include education in practical knowledge as a way of working with passions and desires, makes the non-rational part of the act visible.