Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics

Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics explores the idea of an ethical framework based on virtues, deliberation, and choice. The key to being virtuous is to strike a balance between the extremes on either side of a virtue. Arriving at what constitutes as a virtuous balance is achieved through the process of deliberation and then action. Sartre and the existentialists say that existence precedes essence; the good starts from human subjectivity rather than from known virtues. Through a person’s choices, they determine what is good. Though their theories of what constitutes the good may differ, choice is a key element of both ethical frameworks. The differences that each ethical framework has about what the good is are not mutually exclusive. In fact, existentialism encompasses Aristotle’s views.

Existentialists believe that existence precedes essence. This means that humankind exists first and is later defined; it means that man begins as nothing and must make himself because there is no human nature. Sartre likens man to a project, but one that is experienced subjectively. Since man makes himself, he is responsible for himself. Sartre says that when man chooses himself, he is not just choosing for himself alone, but for all men. When man chooses what he wants to be, he creates an image of what man must be. What man chooses is always what he believes is good and he wills that all men should be good in the way he is. Man seeks to universalize his choices.

Aristotle believes that determining the Good is a part of politics. He believes that politics pursues the highest ends for human existence as a whole, the highest end being happiness. Happiness is the highest end because it is pursued as an end sufficient in itself. A happy person is ide...

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...shness and cowardice. Temperance is the mean between self-indulgence and insensibility. For Aristotle, to be virtuous is to act with moderation.

Courage and temperance are two virtues that Aristotle has chosen to identify as good. Sartre would say that Aristotle believes that these virtues are good and therefore believes that they are good for all men. In defining them and their associated vices, Aristotle is attempting to universalize his choices as choices for all men. He believes that they are the good but an existentialist would say that they are only good for Aristotle and those who choose the same thing. A similar statement could be made of Kant, Mill, or any code of ethics which suggests that the good is knowable. In reality, all predeterministic ethical theorists are just existentialists who have made their choices and are attempting to universalize them.