The Excellent Life of Ancient Greeks
Lesson Objectives
Appreciate who Aristotle was in the history of Philosophical thought
Understand why Aristotle argues for things having a telos — an end
Appreciate why Aristotle thought eudaemonia was our highest good
Appreciate how Virtue Ethics was the moral framework of the Classical World
Understand how Aristotle arrives at Ethics by contemplating the Golden Mean
Understand the advantages and disadvantages of Virtue Ethics
Key Terms
Lyceum
Teleology
Entelechy
Eudaemonia
Virtue Ethics
The Golden Mean
Aristotle in Ancient Greece
Aristotle in History
• Known to Medieval philosophers as "the Philosopher"
• Plato's most successful and famous student
• Mentor and friend to Alexander the Great
• Alexander's father, Philip II of Macedonia, takes over Greece
• Alexander takes over the known world and sends it all to Athens
• This raises Aristotle's image among the Athenian élite
Aristotle's Lyceum
• At 50, Aristotle returns to Athens (run by his Macedonians)
• He takes over a school called the Lyceum and creates his own curriculum
• Today, French secondary schools ("lycee") are named after it
• Aristotle also establishes a very important philosophy library at the Lyceum
• Aristotle's many "books" are actually the lecture notes of his students
• About 1/5 of Aristotle's works have been lost
How Aristotle Refocused Western Philosophy
• What good is art? (Aristotle rewrites Greek drama and defines tragedy)
• Why do people care more about idiots than logic? (Aristotle creates rhetoric)
• What makes people happy? (Aristotle systemitizes Greek ethics)