Preparing the Self

Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics Book 2 Chapter 1b

This is a rendition of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics for contemporary readers. Brief, understandable pieces with a short practice to integrate the wisdom into your life. No philosophical background necessary. 

Don’t let an opportunity slip away.

The same situations that allow a virtue to come into being can also destroy it. A person faced with terrifying situations will become either courageous or cowardly depending on their response. They can be habituated to respond with courage or with fear. Each response engrains them with that character.

Hence we must choose well when we find ourselves in a situation that surfaces a good or bad choice. For the result of different actions in the same situation will lead to a different character for ourselves. 

In a practical sense it would make sense to be prepared for the situation, and understand the weight of our actions.

You are not merely choosing an action. 

You are deciding who you are.

It’s not enough to just read. You must clothe these ideas in your concrete reality. The following practice will bring some of this wisdom into your life.

Be serious about living well.

Practice

• What virtue would you like to cultivate?

• Identify the situation in which you can cultivate that virtue

• Write the situation and the virtue on a post-it and put it somewhere you can see it constantly

• Examples-

  When insulted : Patience

  Near dogs : Courage