Virtue, Nature and Practice: On the Reassessment of Aristotle’s Concept of Virtue

Abstract

With the revival of virtue ethics, recently more and more scholars start to realize the important role of Aristotle’s theory of virtue, and present to “going back to Aristotle”. Therefore, it is very significant and meaningful to re-read Aristotle’s concept of virtue. Through the analysis of Aristotle’s “neither by nature, then, nor contrary to nature do the virtues arise in us”, this paper attempts to re-estimate the concept of Aristotle’s virtue. My analysis will focus on Aristotle’s virtue from the perspective of nature and practice. Finally, I will attempt to point out that Aristotle’s virtue has its roots in nature, but is cultivated by the practice of human beings. The activity of human beings’ practical life is the fundamental to the existence of human beings.