Chapter 8 speaks to Aristotle’s philosophy as including a “mean between extremes” (p. 158). Remember mathematically, the mean refers to the middle or halfway point of a range of numbers. Aristotle’s oft overlooked and terribly underappreciated point of the Golden Mean may indeed be a guide to the near paradoxical (contradictory) aspects of the ethical dilemmas found in the Pandemic World.
According to Aristotle’s Ethical Doctrine of the Mean, when ethical values are projected well, they are able to strike a balance, making them advantageous.
Aristotle noted that, in nature, most things tended toward the mean (middle). Trees of a type grew to approximately the same size, as did species. Predatory animals kill just enough to survive and raise their young. Prey animals do not overpopulate an area’s ability to survive their grazing. Remember the word “ecosystem” from grade school? Ecosystems maintain a healthy balance by finding a middle road.
Perhaps people can as well.
Aristotle’s Concept of the Golden Mean
Deficiency (-)
BALANCE
Excess (+)
cowardice
stinginess/miserliness
sloth
humility
secrecy
moroseness
quarrelsomeness
self-indulgence
apathy
indecisiveness
COURAGE
GENEROSITY
AMBITION
MODESTY
HONESTY
GOOD HUMOR
FRIENDSHIP
TEMPERANCE
COMPOSURE
SELF CONTROL
rashness
extravagance
greed
pride
loquacity
absurdity
flattery
insensibility
irritability
impulsiveness
Determine your Golden Mean.
Include the following aspects in the assignment:
· Create a simple chart as shown above
· Develop a list of five characteristics that you feel fall into the deficiency or excess columns
· Find your balance trait
· Briefly, write how you may develop your balance trait
· Use synonym and antonym lists to assist you. Try to avoid those listed. Consider first which traits you think are faults and work from there
