12.07.2015 Views

The Ethics of Aristotle - Penn State Hazleton

The Ethics of Aristotle - Penn State Hazleton

The Ethics of Aristotle - Penn State Hazleton

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Ethics</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Aristotle</strong>virtues after the plan we have laid down.VII. In respect <strong>of</strong> anger:Here too there is excess, defect, and a mean state; but sincethey may be said to have really no proper names, as we callthe virtuous character Meek, we will call the mean state Meekness,and <strong>of</strong> the extremes, let the man who is excessive bedenominated Passionate, and the faulty state Passionateness,and him who is deficient Angerless, and the defectAngerlessness.<strong>The</strong>re are also three other mean states, having some mutualresemblance, but still with differences; they are alike inthat they all have for their object-matter intercourse <strong>of</strong> wordsand deeds, and they differ in that one has respect to truthherein, the other two to what is pleasant; and this in twoways, the one in relaxation and amusement, the other in allthings which occur in daily life. We must say a word or twoabout these also, that we may the better see that in all mattersthe mean is praiseworthy, while the extremes are neitherright nor worthy <strong>of</strong> praise but <strong>of</strong> blame.Now <strong>of</strong> these, it is true, the majority have really no propernames, but still we must try, as in the other cases, to coinsome for them for the sake <strong>of</strong> clearness and intelligibleness.I. In respect <strong>of</strong> truth: <strong>The</strong> man who is in the mean state wewill call Truthful, and his state Truthfulness, and as to thedisguise <strong>of</strong> truth, if it be on the side <strong>of</strong> exaggeration,Braggadocia, and him that has it a Braggadocio; if on that <strong>of</strong>diminution, Reserve and Reserved shall be the terms.II. In respect <strong>of</strong> what is pleasant in the way <strong>of</strong> relaxation oramusement: <strong>The</strong> mean state shall be called Easy-pleasantry,and the character accordingly a man <strong>of</strong> Easy-pleasantry; theexcess Buffoonery, and the man a Buffoon; the man deficientherein a Clown, and his state Clownishness.III. In respect <strong>of</strong> what is pleasant in daily life: He that is ashe should be may be called Friendly, and his mean stateFriendliness: he that exceeds, if it be without any interestedmotive, somewhat too Complaisant, if with such motive, aFlatterer: he that is deficient and in all instances unpleasant,Quarrelsome and Cross.<strong>The</strong>re are mean states likewise in feelings and matters concerningthem. Shamefacedness, for instance, is no virtue, stilla man is praised for being shamefaced: for in these too theone is denominated the man in the mean state, the other in53

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!