Aristotle: Above the Mean :: essays research papers fc

Aristotle Above the MeanWith the strict oppression of thought by religious belief and government in the 2nd century B.C.E., its a surprise in itself that Aristotle, a man with such revolutionary thoughts and ideas was able to allow his thinking be known to the entire world (as it was known impale then). It is therefore even more surprising that his ideas need survived these many centuries though books, a medium of writing that has a disre hurtleable reputation of being burned when something in its contents doesnt tot up the current beliefs of the established system of government or the church. We commode sure all be thankful that his ideas have survived gum olibanum far because of the tremendous impact that they have had on thought, government, and the way of spiritedness throughout the entire world in general. Aristotle was a revolutionary head whose ideas have no rival from anyone in his own school of thought.In book Two of Aristotles Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle lets out arguably some of his crush work. The idea that in life, people shouldnt strive to be the best, unless instead aim for the middle, or the mean as Aristotle calls it, was something new and in advance(p) not only then, but even to some people today. He further backs his assumption up by supplying more than equal examples. To start out, Aristotle first defines what is good and what is grown. He does this by providing examples of several(prenominal) things that have both a good side along with a regretful side. One example he gives is lawmakers. A lawmaker can have a positive effect on society or a negative one. Judging by the effect his laws have on the people, he is then determined to be either a bad lawmaker or a good one. Moreover, the lawmakers themselves have the power of fashioning people into either good or bad citizens. This is done by instilling either good or bad habits into the citizens through the statute that the lawmakers pass (Pg. 99). This once again, in tur n, dictates whether the lawmakers themselves are good or bad lawmakers. Aristotles idea of this is (to use a clich) is Right on the money. Even in todays world, people are judged by their actions. That is to say, if someone does something good in their life, they are considered a good someone, conversely, if a person is known for a failure, the people around them regard that person as a failure or as Aristotle would simply put it, bad.