Reflection Prompt

The Virtue You Admire

Testing Aristotle's doctrine of the mean on someone you actually know

Aristotle argues that every moral virtue is a mean between two vices: a vice of excess and a vice of deficiency. Courage sits between cowardice and rashness. Generosity sits between stinginess and wastefulness. The virtue is the right response, at the right time, in the right amount. The vices are what you get when the response is miscalibrated in one direction or the other.

This reflection asks you to test that claim on a real case.

The prompt

Think of someone you actually know (not a celebrity, not a fictional character, not a historical figure) whom you admire for a particular virtue. This should be a real person in your life: a family member, a friend, a coworker, a teacher, a neighbor.

In your reflection, do the following:

  1. Name the virtue you admire in this person, and describe a concrete situation in which they displayed it. (You do not need to name the person; initials or a description are fine.)
  2. Identify what Aristotle would call the vice of deficiency (too little of the relevant capacity or feeling) and the vice of excess (too much of it). What would this person's behavior have looked like if they had failed in either direction?
  3. Argue for why the middle ground really is the virtue in this case, or argue that Aristotle's framework does not work well for the virtue you chose. If the framework breaks down, explain why.

The third part is the most important. It is easy to name a virtue and list two vices. The real analytical work is asking whether Aristotle's picture actually fits. Does the virtue really sit between excess and deficiency, or is it something else: a skill, a principle, an unconditional commitment? If you can find a virtue that breaks the model, you have done real philosophy.

Some virtues to consider, if you need a starting point: patience, honesty, loyalty, generosity, courage, kindness, self-discipline, forgiveness, humility, reliability, compassion. You are not limited to this list.

Your Reflection

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