Introduction
Aristotle’s concept of virtue is rightfully one of the most prominent in Western philosophy. The basis of virtue for a person, according to the philosopher, is the ability to practice moderation in their actions (Aristotle, 2009). A virtuous person should not succumb to extremes but always look for intermediate when choosing moral behavior.
Aristotle also states that the disposition that is acquired through the constant repetition of virtuous deeds and the development of habit is the basis of human action. The disposition is determined by what qualities a person has and how much he is expected to perform virtuous deeds. This factor is a determinant of human behavior, as it allows a virtuous person to correctly assess the situation and make morally justified decisions.
This paper argues that Aristotle is right about the role of dispositions in human action, assuming that this aspect is the basis for making morally sound decisions. Circumstances, in turn, only affect what decision can be virtuous in a particular situation. Thus, circumstances cannot determine human behavior, since a person with a developed virtuous disposition is expected to act morally right regardless of the conditions.
Moral Virtue as a Habit
One of the central themes of Aristotle’s philosophy is the consideration of the acquisition and development of virtue. Aristotle’s theory of virtue is built on the assumption that moral virtue is the result of habituation (Aristotle, 2009). At the same time, Aristotle (2009) notes that “it is also plain that none of the moral virtues arises in us by nature” (p. 23).
According to the philosopher, nature determines what a certain being or object is capable of. Hard training to change this would not lead to the development of other qualities. Aristotle gives the example of a stone, which by nature can only move downwards and is unable to move upwards (Aristotle, 2009). The philosopher emphasizes that even if a stone is tossed a thousand times, it will not acquire the ability to move upward, as it is limited by nature. He concludes that moral virtue is not the product of nature or habit alone, “rather we are adapted by nature to receive them, and are made perfect by habit” (Aristotle, 2009, p. 23). Thus, a person needs to develop his or her qualities to achieve virtue.
In turn, achieving moral virtue is possible only through the repeated performance of virtuous deeds. According to Aristotle, virtue consists of avoiding extreme behavior, that is, choosing moderation (Aristotle, 2009). Virtues then “are destroyed by excess and defect, and preserved by the mean” (Aristotle, 2009, p. 25). To achieve virtue, a person should not strive for the highest degree of goodness, but also one cannot show the ultimate badness.
Moral virtue consists of achieving moderation in all actions, as well as the constant repetition of this behavior. Developing the habit of virtuous deeds can be difficult, but ultimately achievable. Aristotle argues that taking pleasure in doing virtuous deeds is a sign of achieving a virtuous disposition (Aristotle, 2009). In other words, the human disposition to choose intermediate is the real virtue, which is attainable through repetition in various situations. Thus, only by acquiring a certain disposition does a person become capable of performing virtuous deeds in different circumstances.
Disposition Defines Human Action
Disposition, in turn, is a quality that describes a person and his or her moral virtues. De Grgić (2017) notes that the term has at least two relevant definitions. First, it may be referred to as a quality “based on which a person is said to be such and such” (Grgić, 2017, p. 117). Second, it may describe what a person is disposed to, whether good or bad (Baker, 2021; Grgić, 2017). Disposition is acquired and developed in the process of committing and constantly repeating morally correct deeds, which ultimately leads to the establishment of moral virtue. Having developed a disposition to commit moral acts, a person acquires virtue as a result of habit. Thus, a disposition is what kind of person someone is, and what state he or she is in (Aimar, 2019). This term defines what actions a person has performed and what deeds he or she is inclined to perform in certain situations based on his or her moral qualities.
According to Aristotle, habituation is possible only through learning through doing and getting real moral decision-making experience. Interestingly, Konch and Panda (2018) argue that the philosopher does not say anything about how the constant repetition of moral actions leads to the development of a certain disposition. Grgić (2017) has an answer to this assumption, indicating that Aristotle offers an explanation or cause of the disposition.
Konch and Panda (2018) note that the process of habituation is some kind of intuitive force that allows the repetitive repetition of certain moral actions. Grgić (2017) argues that the dispositions that people develop are oriented towards a specific goal, which determines the actions of a person concerning the formation of a habit. In other words, to perform moral actions, a person needs a purpose for their commission. For example, a healthy person has a habit of maintaining health, which constitutes a disposition. However, a healthy person also has an idea of health as good, which is the goal and forms the basis for the development of the disposition.
Thus, the disposition cannot be formed by chance, it is the product of a purposeful effort of a person to develop a habit and is focused on achieving a certain goal, perceived as a moral good. A virtuous person must first choose to do a virtuous act based on his or her unchanging character (Konch & Panda, 2018). Nieswandt and Hlobil (2018) suggest that virtue can be described as the disposition to choose well as a result of practical reasoning. In other words, a virtuous person can evaluate situations to choose the most morally correct actions to achieve the greatest good.
Nieswandt and Hlobil (2018) also argue that a virtuous person is reasonably expected to perform virtuous deeds based on their disposition. Moreover, virtuous people may experience discomfort and pain when required to perform virtuous acts that are contrary to their habitual dispositions (Gillard, 2018). Thus, dispositions constitute the essence of a person, which determines his or her ability to act in certain situations and prescribes moral reasoning.
Circumstances as Conditions for Making a Decision
The disposition determines the actions of a person in a certain situation and allows you to choose the most morally justified action. Thus, circumstances are the only variables that affect the moral decision of a virtuous person. A person with an established disposition of moral virtue who has achieved it through constant repetition of morally correct actions is expected to act in a certain way (Nieswandt & Hlobil, 2018). Thus, the disposition allows analyzing external factors based on internal moral goodness perception to make the right choice. Aristotle (2009) underlines that “the man who is truly good and wise… always makes the best of circumstances” (p. 17). In other words, although circumstances influence the moral decision of a virtuous person, the basis of action is his or her disposition.
A person is not able to form concepts of virtue without having the habit of doing virtuous deeds and without developing a disposition. An unchanging character is needed to make the right decisions within the existing conditions. Virtue, as the philosopher notes, consists precisely in acting in every situation based on one’s ideas about good and bad. In particular, the assessment of circumstances allows a virtuous person to make a morally correct decision. As noted, according to Aristotle (2009), this aspect consists of the ability to achieve moderation in one’s actions. A virtuous person can avoid extremes in his decisions, achieving the optimal good in a certain situation. The disposition in this case is a prerequisite for performing a virtuous deed, depending on the circumstances. Circumstances, in turn, are purely variables that affect what form the morally justified action takes.
Without the disposition of moral virtue, a person is not able to assess the circumstances and make the right decision on the basis. The disposition is a determinant of human behavior, as it provides an opportunity to decide on the commission of a virtuous act. Circumstances in this case cannot affect the development in a person of a tendency to virtuous behavior. As the philosopher emphasizes, virtue cannot be manifested by chance, it is the result of habit and a strong character (Aristotle, 2009). Thus, the disposition is the basis for the performance of virtuous deeds, and the circumstances only influence the choice of one or another variant of action.
Conclusion
Virtue, according to Aristotle, is the ability to choose intermediate actions when making moral decisions. Virtue, in turn, can be achieved through poisoning the repetition of virtuous deeds. Developing the habit of doing morally justified actions also results in the establishment of a disposition. The disposition determines the qualities of a virtuous person that allow him or her to act following his ideas about good and bad, regardless of the situation. Disposition is a necessary factor in assessing the situation and making the best moral decision. Circumstances are solely aspects that affect the decision-making process and its final form. A person who does not have a disposition, which is expressed in a strong character and habit, does not have the opportunity to act virtuously. Thus, Aristotle is right in his view of disposition as a determinant of human behavior that allows one to perform virtuous deeds.
References
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Baker, S. H. (2021). Aristotle on the nature and politics of medicine.Apeiron, 54(4), 411-449.
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Grgić, F. (2017). Aristotle on co-causes of one’s dispositions.Elenchos, 38(1-2), 107-126.
Konch, M., & Panda, R. K. (2018). Aristotle on habit and moral character formation. International Journal of Ethics Education, 4, 31-41.
Nieswandt, K., & Hlobil, U. (2018). Virtues for the imperfect. Journal of Value Inquiry, 53(4), 605-625.