The purpose of my paper is to show that the virtue which Aristotle calls philia, not in the strong sense of friendship, but in the weaker one of amiability （cf. NE 1126b 10-1 i 27a 12）, represents a particular kind ...The purpose of my paper is to show that the virtue which Aristotle calls philia, not in the strong sense of friendship, but in the weaker one of amiability （cf. NE 1126b 10-1 i 27a 12）, represents a particular kind of bond, related to the fact of being part of a community, and therefore has a very strong relationship, although the two do not coincide with that kind of friendship which Aristotle calls politike philia （civic friendship）. My thesis, then, is that there is a strong relationship, among Aristotelian ethical works, between philia/amiability, like-mindedness （homonoia）, and politike philia. The key to discovering this link is the Aristotelian account of social relations： in Aristotle＇s opinion, the polls is not a commercial alliance, as if it were a public limited company, in which the common good depends on the fact that everyone has a strong economic interest in the company, but is a common life in which citizens are concerned about each other＇s moral goodness. The link between them is therefore a kind of friendship, which is of course civic and therefore does not presuppose love. In the political context, the knowledge of the nature of the constitution, in fact, is a sufficient condition for there being benevolence towards other citizens. Since philia/amiability shows deep analogies with homonoia as well, for both represent, in different ways, peculiar features of the citizenship, the thesis I want to support is not that philia/amiability, homonoia, and politike philia coincide, but that philia/amiability and homonoia are two different expressions of the same disposition, namely politike philia： according to my view, the former is the expression ofpolitike philia on a relational and moral side, while the latter represents the attitude of the citizens towards each other when implicated in political decisions.展开更多
This article studies whether Aristotle＇s understanding of magnanimity excludes women. I examine Aristotle＇s concept of the biological, moral, and intellectual capacities of women in theory and practice. Although Ari...This article studies whether Aristotle＇s understanding of magnanimity excludes women. I examine Aristotle＇s concept of the biological, moral, and intellectual capacities of women in theory and practice. Although Aristotle＇s biology describes key differences between the sexes, it does not exclude women from magnanimity. While the ethical and political writings also note key differences between men and women, they leave the theoretical possibility of attaining magnanimity open. Practically, the lack of leadership opportunities available to actual women may hinder the development of prudence, leading to an inability to achieve complete virtue and hence magnanimity. Thus, if women are unable to be magnanimous, this is due to practical political and familial arrangements, not to innate feminine defects. This finding provides a unique argument for feminine leadership and political participation. Truly exceptional women may need to actively seek out leadership opportunities and political involvement in order to complete their virtue展开更多
文摘The purpose of my paper is to show that the virtue which Aristotle calls philia, not in the strong sense of friendship, but in the weaker one of amiability （cf. NE 1126b 10-1 i 27a 12）, represents a particular kind of bond, related to the fact of being part of a community, and therefore has a very strong relationship, although the two do not coincide with that kind of friendship which Aristotle calls politike philia （civic friendship）. My thesis, then, is that there is a strong relationship, among Aristotelian ethical works, between philia/amiability, like-mindedness （homonoia）, and politike philia. The key to discovering this link is the Aristotelian account of social relations： in Aristotle＇s opinion, the polls is not a commercial alliance, as if it were a public limited company, in which the common good depends on the fact that everyone has a strong economic interest in the company, but is a common life in which citizens are concerned about each other＇s moral goodness. The link between them is therefore a kind of friendship, which is of course civic and therefore does not presuppose love. In the political context, the knowledge of the nature of the constitution, in fact, is a sufficient condition for there being benevolence towards other citizens. Since philia/amiability shows deep analogies with homonoia as well, for both represent, in different ways, peculiar features of the citizenship, the thesis I want to support is not that philia/amiability, homonoia, and politike philia coincide, but that philia/amiability and homonoia are two different expressions of the same disposition, namely politike philia： according to my view, the former is the expression ofpolitike philia on a relational and moral side, while the latter represents the attitude of the citizens towards each other when implicated in political decisions.
文摘This article studies whether Aristotle＇s understanding of magnanimity excludes women. I examine Aristotle＇s concept of the biological, moral, and intellectual capacities of women in theory and practice. Although Aristotle＇s biology describes key differences between the sexes, it does not exclude women from magnanimity. While the ethical and political writings also note key differences between men and women, they leave the theoretical possibility of attaining magnanimity open. Practically, the lack of leadership opportunities available to actual women may hinder the development of prudence, leading to an inability to achieve complete virtue and hence magnanimity. Thus, if women are unable to be magnanimous, this is due to practical political and familial arrangements, not to innate feminine defects. This finding provides a unique argument for feminine leadership and political participation. Truly exceptional women may need to actively seek out leadership opportunities and political involvement in order to complete their virtue
