Aristotelian Ethics and Moral Development: A Critical Evaluation

Abstract

This study is a critical evaluation of Aristotelian ethics and moral development, ex-post-facto research design which involves events that have already taken place was utilized, the study analyzes the relevancy of Aristotle’s ethics and the important roles it plays in moral development. The study highlighted that the task of ethics is however much more than the analysis and the clarification of moral terms. The study revealed that the opening of sentences of the ethics indicated very clearly the main theme of Aristotle’s moral philosophy. Like his metaphysics and his concerned in relating concepts like natural function and purpose to the notion of the good life every art and every enquiry and similarly every action and pursuit is through aim at some good; and for this reason, the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim. His argument rests on the development this them. Some critics of Aristotle are the anti-rationalist who held the view that, we can be virtuous if and if only our feeling and impulses have been trained to take pleasure in the right action, and we are move primarily by these sorts of feelings. Our feelings are in harmony with reason in so far as they do not pursue inconsistent aim, or aims that cannot be achieved by any means at our disposal. Again, the study revealed that Aristotle uses the term human good a lot. He established that people perform some action, to always aim at some good. For Aristotle, tire good life for human beings is a virtuous life lived in accord with reason. So, it turns out that the life of virtue is one that is responsive to dispositions and habits that are infused with reason itself, in this way, Aristotle thinks that virtuous living embodies and aligns with the functions of what it means to be human leading to human excellence. The study concludes that Aristotle’s ethics provides a powerful contrast to the traditional moral theory that gave rise to the ethics of duty and provide important insight into what is at issue in living well. His understanding of “ethics” has more to do with what makes life worth living with obedience to tire moral law,