Question 1

For Aristotle, there is no difference between fulfilling one's purpose, being virtuous, doing something with excellence, and being morally good.

Accepted Answer

Aristotle believed that fulfilling one's purpose (or function) in an excellent way is equivalent to being virtuous, and this in turn is what it means to be morally good. He argued that the highest good for humans is to achieve eudaimonia, often translated as happiness or flourishing, which is attained by living a life of virtuous activity in accordance with reason.

Question 2

Aristotle's virtue theory says that there are three kinds of virtues: one that is in deficiency, one that is just right, and one that is in excess.

Accepted Answer

Aristotle's virtue theory posits that virtues are mean states between the extremes of deficiency and excess. He does not categorize virtues into three kinds but rather describes virtue as the balanced or mean state between two vices.

Question 3

For Aristotle, we are morally good if we are capable of choosing the mean between extremes.

Accepted Answer

Aristotle believed in the concept of the "Golden Mean," where moral virtue is achieved by finding the balance between two extremes of excess and deficiency.

Question 4

In general, actions and emotions have a mean, a deficiency, and an excess.

Accepted Answer

According to Aristotle's doctrine of the mean, for any given action or emotion, there is a virtuous mean between deficiency and excess, which represents the ideal state of balance.

Question 5

According to Aristotle, a deficiency of honor is high-mindedness.

Accepted Answer

According to Aristotle, high-mindedness (magnanimity) is the mean between the extremes of vanity (excess) and undue humility (deficiency) regarding honor, not a deficiency of it.

Question 6

There is a marked discrepancy between Aristotle's list of virtues and vices and the Catholic list of cardinal virtues and sins.

Accepted Answer

Aristotle's list of virtues and vices, as outlined in his Nicomachean Ethics, is primarily focused on moral and intellectual virtues that lead to eudaimonia (flourishing or happiness), and does not directly correspond to the Catholic Church's list of seven cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, temperance, courage, faith, hope, and charity) and seven deadly sins (lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride). The Catholic lists are theological and moral in nature, derived from Christian doctrine, and include both theological virtues (faith, hope, charity) and cardinal virtues, which are not explicitly found in Aristotle's works.

Question 7

For Aristotle, true happiness is to be found in contemplation.

Accepted Answer

Aristotle believed that true happiness or eudaimonia is achieved through a life of virtue and rational activity, with the highest form of happiness being contemplation (theoria), as it is the most self-sufficient and continuous form of intellectual activity.

Question 8

Aquinas's rule of self-preservation encourages suicide.

Accepted Answer

Aquinas's rule of self-preservation actually argues against suicide, positing that it is contrary to natural law and the will to live, which is inherent in all beings.

Question 9

For Christian ethics, the moral rightness of following God's laws became more important than the belief in the human ability to shape one's own character.

Accepted Answer

Christian ethics places a strong emphasis on following God's laws as the foundation for moral behavior, often prioritizing divine command over human autonomy or the belief in shaping one's own character through personal effort alone.

Question 10

Aristotle was accused of the same crimes as Socrates.

Accepted Answer

Aristotle was accused of impiety and corrupting the youth, the same crimes for which Socrates was executed.

Question 11

For Aristotle, some means are closer to one extreme than the other.

Accepted Answer

Aristotle's doctrine of the mean posits that virtue lies at a mean between two extremes of excess and deficiency, and he acknowledges that this mean is not equidistant from both extremes in all cases, implying that some means are indeed closer to one extreme than the other.

Question 12

Today, the assumption that everything has a purpose is commonly accepted.

Accepted Answer

The assumption that everything has a purpose is not commonly accepted today, as views on purpose and existence vary widely across different philosophical, scientific, and individual perspectives. Some may hold teleological views (everything has a purpose), while others adhere to more mechanistic or existential viewpoints that reject predetermined purposes.

Question 13

Aristotle served as a powerful inspiration for Thomas Aquinas because Aristotle was Aquinas's teacher. When Aristotle died, Aquinas opened up his own school based on Aristotle's principles of teaching.

Accepted Answer

Aristotle was not Aquinas's teacher in a direct sense, as they lived centuries apart. Thomas Aquinas was influenced by Aristotle's works, which he integrated with Christian theology, but they did not have a direct teacher-student relationship.

Question 14

In the Christian approach to morals, following commandments is far more important than striving toward virtues.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the Christian approach to morals, following...

Question 15

According to Thomas Aquinas, the entire universe is run by God according to eternal rules, the eternal law.

Accepted Answer

Thomas Aquinas posited that the entire universe is governed by God according to rational and eternal principles, which he referred to as the Eternal Law. This concept is foundational to his philosophical and theological system, where God's reason dictates the order of all creation.

Question 16

In Njal's Saga, Njal's wife and grandson choose to stay with him and are burned alive.

Accepted Answer

In Njal's Saga, during the tragic event known as the burning of Bergthorsknoll, Njal's wife, Bergthora, and his grandson, Thord Kari's son, choose to stay with him and die in the fire rather than escape, showing their loyalty and love for Njal.

Question 17

In Njal's Saga, the little boy Thord is rescued at the last minute by Flosi's son.

Accepted Answer

In Njal's Saga, Thord is not rescued; he is killed by Flosi's men, highlighting the saga's themes of vengeance and the tragic consequences of feuds.

Question 18

The "Flight of Icarus" is an excellent illustration of Plato's theory of Forms: The higher Icarus flies, the closer he gets to the Form of the Good.

Accepted Answer

The "Flight of Icarus" is a myth from Greek mythology and does not directly illustrate Plato's theory of Forms, which is a philosophical concept about the existence of abstract, perfect forms that represent the true essence of all things in the physical world.

Question 19

In Singer's "A Piece of Advice," a rabbi tells Baruch's father-in-law to say nice but insincere things to everyone he meets regardless of who they might be.

Accepted Answer

In "A Piece of Advice," the rabbi advises Baruch's father-in-law to always speak positively and flatteringly to others, even if it means being insincere, as a way to maintain peace and avoid conflict.

Quiz 9: Aristotles Virtue Theory: Everything in Moderation