Aristotle and the Virtues

462 Pages·2016·3.33 MB·English

by  Howard J. Curzer

Aristotle and the Virtues
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Aristotle and the
Virtues
Howard J. Curzer
1
3
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To my parents, Abe and Ruth Curzer, for starting me on the moral
development path, and to my wife, Anne Epstein, and my daughter,
Mirah Curzer, for keeping me on it.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the following people for their very helpful comments and
suggestions on various parts of this manuscript: Allan Bäck, Aaron Ben-Zeev, Mirah
Curzer, Shane Drefcinski, Anne Epstein, Bronwyn Finnigin, Lloyd Gerson, Paula
Gottlieb, Herbert Granger, John Heil, Ben Miller, Daniel Nathan, Walter Schaller,
Jeremy Schwartz, Thomas Seung, Robin Smith, Matthew Walker, and Charles
Young.
Special thanks to Rosalind Hursthouse and Christine Swanton for an invaluable
seriesofstimulatingconversationsaboutthewholeofanearlierdraft.
ThanksalsotoGarySantillanesforhisbibliographicalassistance.
Chapters(3),(6),(11),and(15)arerevisedversionsofthefollowingpapers:
(cid:2) “Aristotle’s Account of the Virtue of Temperance in Nicomachean Ethics
III.10–11,”JournaloftheHistoryofPhilosophy,35(1997):5–25.
(cid:2) “A Great Philosopher’s not so Great Treatment of Great Virtue: Aristotle’s
Treatment of Greatness of Soul,” Canadian Journal of Philosophy, 20 (1990):
517–37.
(cid:2) “Aristotle’sAccountoftheVirtueofJustice,”Apeiron,28(1995):207–38.
(cid:2) “Aristotle’sPainfulPathtoVirtue,”JournaloftheHistoryofPhilosophy,40(2002):
141–62.
Contents
1. Introduction 1
Moral Virtues
2. CourageandContinence(NEIII.6–9) 19
3. TemperanceandIncontinence(NEIII.10–12) 65
4. LiberalityandBenevolence(NEIV.1) 83
5. MagnificenceandHeroicVirtue(NEIV.2) 109
6. MegalopsychiaandAppropriateAmbition(NEIV.3–4) 121
7. GoodTemperandForgiveness(NEIV.5) 143
8. WitandWounding(NEIV.8) 167
9. FriendlinessandCivility(NEIV.6) 188
10. TruthfulnessandIntegrity(NEIV.7) 195
Justice and Friendship
11. General,Particular,andPoeticJustice(NEV) 223
12. VarietiesofFriendship(NEVIII–IX) 247
13. JusticeinFriendship(NEVIII–IX) 275
Moral Development
14. PracticalWisdomandReciprocityofVirtue(NEVI.12–13) 293
15. Aristotle’sPainfulPathtoVirtue:TheManyandtheGenerous-Minded 318
16. ShameandMoralDevelopment:TheIncontinent,theContinent,
theNaturallyVirtuous,andtheProperlyVirtuous 341
17. Aristotle’sLosers:TheVicious,theBrutish,NaturalSlaves,and
TragicHeroes 367
18. HappinessandLuck(NEIandX.6–8) 388
Bibliography 426
Index 437
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