Aristotelian View of the Mean and Its Contemporary Significance.doc

Aristotelian View of the Mean and Its Contemporary Significanceabstract: according to the theory of the doctrine of the mean proposed by aristotle, virtue is a kind of the mean between two sorts of evils (one is excess and the other is deficiency). the theory is so important that generates insight for us in our daily behaviors. thus, this paper tries to draw a clear picture of what the theory is in the first part, and in the second part, the way to find the mean is suggested, and in the third part, the contemporary significance of the doctrine of the mean on our behaviors are illustrated. in the last part, a conclusion is made.key words: the meanaristotlethe concept of the mean has a key position in ethics of aristotle. it is through this concept that aristotle makes his virtue theory not only connect with practical life while go beyond transcendentalism of plato, but also remain the certainty of virtue while surpass relativism of sophists.1.the basic thought of aristotelian view of the doctrine of the meanaristotle claims that all actions have three trends: two of them are evils, i.e. excess and deficiency; the other is the doctrine of the mean. he believes that virtue is a kind of the mean between two sorts of evils (one is excess and the other is deficiency). excess and deficiency are inherent to evil while the mean is inherent to virtue. then, what on earth is the doctrine of the mean aristotle means？he thinks the mean is appropriate. he says there are two reasons why virtue is so-called the mean. firstly, because virtue is the midpoint between the two evils, one of which is excess, and the other is deficiency. secondly, the two evils can not exceed or reach a suitable amount in terms of emotions or actions. on the other hand, virtue can discover and choose a suitable amount. here, aristotle at first affirms that the mean is between excess and deficiency. besides, he makes clear that the mean is not necessarily right in the middle between the two evils. instead, the mean takes up an appropriate proportion. however, he also points out that not all the actions or emotions have a moderate degree.2.method of the meanaccording to aristotle, the object of the application of the doctrine of the mean is continuous and divisible. he believes there are three different amounts as more, less and equal in such things. however, how much is the middle amount?in everything that is continuous and divisible it is possible to take more, less, or an equal amount and that either in terms of the thing itself or relatively to us; and the equal is an intermediate between excess and defect. by the intermediate in the object i mean that which is equidistant from each of the extremes, which is one and the same for all men; by the intermediate relatively to us that which is neither too much nor too little- and this is not one, nor the same for all.this mean is not the middle in arithmetic, but a suitable place under the guidance of practice wisdom. if it is reflected in the method of selecting the middle point, the mean is “ought to.” namely, “ought to be at the perfect time, in the right situation, to the right object, for the right purpose, by the appropriate way, which is t