This is the first week in our One Year, Six Ways challenge, in which we try to experience six different philosophies of life in our own, everyday lives. And we begin with Aristotle, one of the fathers of Western philosophy.

So how can we utilise Aristotle’s theories about happiness in our own, everyday lives? Read on.

Can I be too honest?

Aristotle’s view of life starts with the concept of virtues. Virtues are good properties of one’s character that are beneficial to oneself and to others. Think, for instance, of courage, honesty, or kindness.

But not any amount of these virtues is good. One can be too courageous, for example. We would call such a person reckless, perhaps. They do have courage, but they are unable to see that sometimes it’s wiser to be less courageous in order to reach a good outcome. Too much honesty might be hurtful. Too much kindness and one is a doormat. So, for Aristotle, the trick is not only to have the virtues but to be able to control them so that one has them always to the right amount: the amount that is optimal for every situation that one encounters.

The point Aristotle wants to make is that every single situation calls for a different amount of every virtue, and wisdom consists in knowing exactly how much that right amount is.

It is important to see that this is not always some “middle” amount. There are situations where zero courage is the right amount: for example, when you’re out on an African photo-safari and a lion suddenly stands in front of you, licking its lips. Then it would be reckless and stupid to do anything but get into your car and close the windows. There are, equally, situations in which the right amount of courage is an extreme amount. For example, if you are a firefighter, called to rescue people from a burning house. In this case, you can’t say “Oh, but I’m supposed to have only a middle amount of courage. Let someone else go in there.” It’s your job to rescue these people, so the right amount of courage in this situation would be what to others might seem reckless. The point Aristotle wants to make is that every single situation calls for a different amount of every virtue, and wisdom consists in knowing exactly how much that right amount is.

Read the full article which is published on Daily Philosophy (external link)