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A Comparative Analysis of Virtue and Morality in Plato’s Euthyphro and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics
Rusha Talat Syed, Muhammad Zargham Hameed, Hafiz Umair Qayyum
Abstract:
This study was aimed at discussing the topic of morality based on the debate in Euthyphro. This study examined the contrasting views of Plato, as represented in the character of Euthyphro, and the views of Aristotle, especially in Book II of the Nicomachean Ethics, which is the topic of the Virtue of Character. The theory of Virtue Ethics proposed by Aristotle was the theoretical background of this research. The research question focused on how the concept of virtue and morality was developed by Plato and Aristotle and how their ideals in Euthyphro and Nicomachean Ethics were similar and different. This paper provides a comparison of the approach of Plato and Aristotle on the issue of vice and virtue, morality or immorality. Through the dialogue between Socrates and Euthyphro, Plato expounded on the issue of piety, impiety, holiness, morality, and immorality. On the contrary, Aristotle provided the evidence of virtue and vice. The researchers used a descriptive qualitative design to conduct the study. The conclusions of the present paper were that people should be educated to make considerate decisions between good and evil. Plato used the character of Euthyphro to illustrate this point and Aristotle gave an insight on the traits of good and bad behavior. Both philosophers advised their readers to make their conclusions rather than give them a set idea of what character should be. These moral choices are a gift that God bestows to individual consciousness as it is their ability to make these moral choices. Hence, individuals ought to rely on their personal knowledge in the daily lives.
Keywords:
Morality, virtuousness, Holi, ideologies, virtuous character
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