Question

In presenting his doctrine of “the mean” in Book II, why does Aristotle think that, “we must incline sometimes towards the excess, sometimes towards the deficiency”? Explain. (<100 words, 4 points)

Answer 1

"We must incline sometimes towards the excess, sometimes towards the deficiency". This is because-

The intermediate facets of the actions are to be praised.

The moral excesses and deficiencies that tend to be ideosyncratic and personal can be finely compensated through inclining towards excess and deficiency sometimes.

The human beings happen to be noble in the single unique way and on other hand, bad in many other ways.

Our tendencies and shades of the human nature in the context of pleasure and pain are to be comprehended.

We must be capable of leading ourselves in the contrary direction to be balanced and hence Aristotle asserts the above mentioned sentence.