Becoming Aristotelian in 2025

 

Becoming Aristotelian in 2025

Several years ago, I took one of the free courses provided by Hilldale College called “Introduction to Aristotle’s Ethics”.  Sounds rather high-brow, but it turned out to one of the best college courses I’ve ever taken.  The course condenses Aristotle’s deep dive into ethics to examine one question: How Best to Live. Turns out in its most simple form, Aristotle would likely say he who lives the most virtuous life lives the best life.

So, who exactly was Aristotle? He is considered one of the three most famous philosophers from ancient Greece along with Socrates and Plato. He was born in 384 B.C. and became the authority on everything from philosophy to mathematics, politics, metaphysics, ethics and much more. He also served as the personal tutor to Alexander the Great.  

What if we took a look at his key virtues and tried to apply those to ourselves for 2025? What would the outcome be? Some of his cardinal ethics/virtues are listed here.  The question becomes, how can we make these a central part of our lives?

Justice, Patience, Truthfulness, Friendliness, Temperance, Liberality, Magnanimity and Courage. Magnanimity btw is keeping your pride in check, yet recognizing your abilities and bringing them to their highest level. Combined, he called the person who could master these virtues as Eudaimonia.  This person, who by shaping their character and virtue so well that all these virtues come naturally. This in turns brings real happiness and your best life possible.

Now that would define a real Aristotelian 2025.

Godspeed, Paul


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