Aristotle+H+p.+107-108

__**Make sure that you summarize and get to the heart of his logical argument.

Section 13.**__  In this section, Aristotle discuses the nature of happiness, calling it “an activity of soul,” and thus we must consider virtue the same. He does not care if the soul’s rational and irrational aspects are different from each other not for the purpose of this argument, though and he goes on to first explain the irrational element as “widely distributed, and vegetative in its nature,” this is the part of the soul that helps things grow and provides them with nutrients so it’s the kind assigned to babies and full-grown creatures alike. But since this part of the soul is most active during sleep, Aristotle says it doesn’t help people achieve human excellence, or happiness, and must thus be set aside for now. Aristotle mentions briefly now a second irrational element that seems to share certain characteristics with the rational part of the soul because in good men and temperate men, it operates the same as the rational part. This part is called the appetitive part and is subject to the rational part. At the finish, Aristotle explains we praise a man’s character differently because of these elements, that a man’s state of mind which we praise is what we call virtue. -Andrew Dobies (not Veronika)

Aristotle begins section thirteen by declaring that in achieving happiness, "we must consider the nature of virtue"(107) "since happiness is an activity of soul in accordance with perfect virtue"(107) and that since "the good we [are] seeking [is] human good and the happiness human happiness"(107) "the virtue we must study is human virtue"(107)--"not of the body but that of the soul" (107). Aristotle then acknowledges the two elements of the soul: the irrational principle and the rational principle. As Aristotle begins to describe the first division of the irrational principle of the soul, the vegetative element, he states that we must "leave the nutritive faculty alone, since it has by its nature no share in human excellence" (107). He then goes on to describe another division of the irrational principle of the soul, which actually "shares in a rational principle" (107)--the "desiring element" (107). Aristotle states that the desiring element is divided "twofold, one subdivision having it in the strict sense and in itself, and the other having a tendency to obey as one does one's father" (108). This kind of division is also seen in virtue, as Aristotle divides virtue in the sense of it being defined as either an intellectual or moral virtue. Aristotle finishes by saying that "we praise the wise man also with respect to his state of mind; and of states of mind we call those which merit praise virtues" (108) tying his final statement back to his earlier declaration that "happiness is an activity of soul in accordance with perfect virtue"(107). Thus, we must inference that the only way one may attain happiness is if they have a state of mind which can be undoubtedly defined as wise. In conclusion, Aristotle is saying, in this section, that happiness is only possible for the wisest of men since they are the most perfectly virtuous. --Andrew Freeman

Aristotle begins by setting up his argument to define what the "nature of virtue" is. This is because it will help us realize the "nature of happiness," which is the human telos. Aristotle theorizes that one who studies politics must study virtue, because the goal of any politician is to make his citizens more virtuous. But more specifically, human virtue must be studied, because that is the virtue that is attainable in our lives. Since the virtue politician studies is virtue of the human soul, the soul itself must be studied. This is related to the fact that a doctor who wishes to heal the body must know the body. Therefore, for good and just politics, the politician must have an apt knowledge of both the human soul and human virtue. The implication, therefore, is that the good and just politician is a student of philosophy (this would make sense because Aristotle studied under Plato). Aristotle's differences with Plato of monist vs. dualist are resolved in the next paragraph, where he states that whether the parts of the soul are separable between the natural world and the other is immaterial to the point at hand. Aristotle then summarizes that the irrational portion of the human soul is "vegetative in nature." Meaning, by instinct, it causes nutrition and growth. This, therefore, is a similarity between humans and animals. But this portion is irrelevant to achieving human excellence. The next part of the soul, while irrational by nature, can be rational or irrational. If the irrational, incontinent urges of human are of a "continent" man, then they are restrained and they obey the rational, thus making them rational. Of an incontinent man, the urges work against the rational portion. But in all men, there is both an irrational and rational urge that work against each other. With continence, the rational urges will be stronger. This is the same as virtue, for virtue has two kinds. There is virtue of mind and virtue of character. Virtue of character relates to the previous stated portions of the soul, good character being one of temperance. Virtue of the mind is a statement on wisdom and philosophy. Both necessary and neither superior to the other when attaining happiness. --Ben Ratskoff

In section 13 Aristotle stats "Since happiness is an activity of the soul in accordance with perfect virtue, we must consider the nature of virtue; for perhaps we shall thus see better the nature of happiness". Aristotle begins students of politics and how they must study virtue above all else because "he wishes to make his fellow citizens good and obedient to the laws". The student should look most closely at human virtue because human virtue is happiness and what he is trying to bring to the people is happiness. The politician must know somewhat about the facts of human soul because since happiness is an "activity of the soul", he must know what the soul is because to understand more about happiness, he must understand where it comes from. Then he looks more at virtue itself and states that "one element in the soul is irrational and one has a rational principal". Aristotle says that the irrational element of the soul is mostly responsible for growing and assigning power to different areas of the body. Another part of irrational human virtue is sleep because "goodness and badness are least manifest in sleep". Our dreams are nothing more than irrational thoughts not blocked by anything without any rational thought, but occasionally our dreams "penetrate the soul", and then the dreams of good men are better than the dreams of ordinary people. Rational human virtue is the part that tells us to do better and urges us toward the best objects. The rational part of human virtue is the part that we listen to, that ultimate state happiness. Eric w.

Happiness is an activity in accordance with pure virtue. We must consider the nature of virtue to understand happiness. Our focus becomes on human virtue to understand human good and human happiness. And of course we mean the goodness for the sol and not the body. The first irrational division is nutrition and growth, vegetative. As seedlings, embryos, and all things need to become fully grown. This happens naturally. The soul then shares both rational and irrational as we praise the continent, restrained, and the incontinent, unrestrained for aiming toward what is best for them. But then there is something that fights that principle of what is best. ~JChen