Single Idea 33

[catalogued under 22. Metaethics / B. Value / 2. Values / b. Successful function]

Full Idea

An individual distinctive excellence is attached to the name of the function (e.g. a good 'harpist').

Clarification

'Excellence' here is the Greek word 'areté', which also translates as 'virtue'

Gist of Idea

Each named function has a distinctive excellence attached to it

Source

Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics [c.334 BCE], 1098a09)

Book Reference

Aristotle: 'Ethics (Nicomachean)', ed/tr. ThomsonJ A K/TredennickH [Penguin 1976], p.76


A Reaction

This is the core idea of Aristotle's metaethics. It seems hard to deny that a function implies the values of success and failure. The debate is likely to focus on the exact meaning of 'distinctive'.