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Aristotle: The Value of Man and the Origin of Morality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2020

J. M. Rist
J. M. Rist*
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
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Extract

One of the purposes of this paper is to explore a number of questions which-to judge from what he assumes–Aristotle might well have asked, but which he apparently did not ask. It is often informative in the history of philosophy to point out the (apparently obvious) questions which are not raised; it sets those which are raised in a more precise frame.

It can be argued that Aristotle implies that it is possible to look like a human being–and indeed be called a human being–without “really” or “fully” being one. Leaving aside the status of females (who for Aristotle are males manques, analogous to the blind or deaf, and of children, we cannot be certain that all adult males of the class whose members look like men “really” are men.

Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Philosophy , Volume 4 , Issue 1 , September 1974 , pp. 1 - 21
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 1974

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Footnotes

*

Parts of this were read at a meeting of the Canadian Philosophical Association in June 1972. I should like to thank those who discussed it at that time, and in particular the Commentator, Professor Norman Brown. It was also discussed at McMaster University in November 1972.

References

1 De Gen. An. 737A27, 775A 15, cf. N.E. 1148832-33. At N.E. 1160B34 a husband is said to rule his wife because of his greater value. At Met. 1058A29ff., however, Aristotle insists that women are of the same species as men-the difference arises from matter, not form. The same seed can turn into male or female offspring.

2 Pol. 1253A2, 1278819, cf. N.E. 1169B20. There are other ποƛιτικὰ ζῷα, e.g. bees, ants, etc., cf. Hist. an. 1.1.12.

3 Pol. 1278B21.

4 Pol. 1253A8.

5 N.E. 1145A26.

6 Pol. 1253A29.

7 Cf. N.E. 1177B.

8 Pol. 1260A12, 126085-7. Aristotle admits that natural slaves are humans (ἄνθρωποι) at 1259827-28.

9 Pol. 1254B22.

10 Pol. 1254A25.

11 Pol. 1255A4ff.

12 Pol. 1255B13, N.E. 1161B.

13 Aristotle's position is nearer to this and hence more logical if less humanitarian at N.E. 1241B19.

14 Pol. 1254B21.

15 N.E. 1145A31, cf. Pol. 1253A29.

16 N.E. 1148B17.

17 N.E. 1103B.

18 N.E. 1148B31.

19 N.E. 1150A.

20 N.E. 1145A16.

21 N.E. 1148B23.

22 N.E. 1149A5.

23 N.E. 1149A10.

24 De An. 418A.

25 Pol. 1318B4-5.

26 Cf. Met. 1075A18-22.

27 N.E. 1177B.

28 E.g. by the Middle Platonists; cf. Plotinus, Ennead 6.9.6. 12–15.Google Scholar

29 Pol. 1253A29.

30 Cf. Düring, I. Aristotle in the Ancient Biographical Tradition (Göteborg, 1957), pp. 341–342.Google Scholar

31 N.E. 1178B; in 1145A there is a “virtue” for gods, but of a much more exalted kind.

32 Pol. 1255B9.

33 N.E. 1159A.

34 N.E. 1156B10ff.

35 N.E. 1170B7.

36 N.E. 1168Bff.

37 N.E. 1166A17, 1169A2-3, 1178A1-8.

38 Pol. 1252B30.

39 E.g. Met. 1074A34.

40 Cf. De Gen. An. 778A 16ff.

41 Cf.Phys. 1968.

42 Pol. 1253A21ff.

43 N.E. 1145A7ff.

44 N.E. 1096B3-5.

45 Met. 1072B4.

46 N.E. 1169B18.

47 N.E. 1170B10.

48 Met. 980A23-24.

49 N.E. 1106B36-1107A2.

50 N.E. 1138B25.

51 Pol. 1318B4-5; cf. Rhet. 1382B4.

52 Allan, D. J. (“Aristotle's Account of the Origin of Moral Principles,” International Congress of Philosophy, Vol. XII [Brussels, 1953], p. 123)Google Scholar comments that Aristotle does not say that the man of practical wisdom “determines” the good, but that he “determines” the mean. The good is inherent in rationality itself.

53 N.E. 1130A3-5.

54 Pol. 1282B17.

55 Pol. 1279A16-21.

56 Pol. 1267B1-9.

57 N.E. 1134B18-35;Rhet.1368B7ff.,1373B4ff.

58 De Caelo 286A 17-20.

59 Plato, Laws 839AffGoogle Scholar. For “unnatural” acts cf. Phaedr. 254B1.

60 Met. 1072B28ff.

61 Cf.N.E. 1145A10-11.

62 Met. 1072A28.

63 Met. 1072B30.

64 N.E. 1141A28.

65 Ross, W. D. Aristotle 5 (London, 1949), p. 186.Google Scholar

66 N.E. 1137A31.1138A3.

67 Cf. N.E. 1141B15.