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.
Aristotle explores the relationship between nature and begins his presentation that our actions mold our character.
None of the moral virtues are present in us by nature, since nothing that is natural could be habituated otherwise.
A stone thrown upward a thousand times would still fall down the same.
But if you were courageous a thousand times, wouldn’t you change?
So the moral virtues are neither present in us by nature, nor are they contrary to nature. Humans are, in a simple sense, super-natural.
We have a capacity for the virtues which are acquired through repeated actions. We have agency over our virtues and vices because we choose which actions to do and repeat.
The virtues are acquired like the arts. Both are things we learn by doing. To learn how to build a house, you build houses. To learn how to play the flute, you play the flute.
By doing just things we become just, moderate things, moderate.
The path to excellence is paved with actions of virtue.
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:
Choose a virtue
Generate an action that fits the virtue. It should be easy for you to do in the next 10 minutes
Do it
Celebrate your achievement with a little dance