Aristotle Book 6

Aristotle Book 6

1. Chapter One

   • The mean and Virtues of Thought
   • The Mean
     • In between "excess" and "deficiency"  -not too little, not too much
     • the correct reason
   • Parts of The Soul
     • Virtues of character and virtues of thought 
     • Reason
       • scientific
       • rationally calculating/deliberating
     • nonrational

2. Chapter Two

   • Thought, desire, and decision 
   • three capacities in soul
     • sense perception
     • Understanding
     • Desire
       • Deliberative desire
         • Decision is a deliberative desire "Desire" you pursue something you want based on decisions 
         • If your decision is good, then your reasoning and desire must be good. What you think through that you want determines what "desire pursues" 
       • Thought/truth concerned with action
         • Thought
           • Can be good or bad 
         • Truth
           • Can be bad. Truth is according to whatever an individual person thinks. 
           • When you agree with what you want to pursue, you determine what you think is the right action
           • Truth=Function of each of understanding parts
             • Virtues of each part will be the states that best direct it towards the truth
     • Action
       • Principle=decision
         • requires
           • understanding
             • Decision can be understanding combined with desire
           • thought
             • Decision can be desire combined with thought.  OR understanding combined with desire
             • goal oriented thought
               • Goal oriented thought concerned with action. You are productive 
               • unqualified goal
                 • It is NOT the product. What we achieve in action. Aims at a further goal 
                 • achieved in action
                 • not the product
                   • ex: What we achieve in action
           • state of character
             • Acting well/badly requires thought and character 
         • Deliberate about the future