Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics › The Human Function and the Life of Virtue

Aristotle's argument turns on identifying what is distinctive about human beings. We share some capacities with other living things: we have nutritive functions like plants, and sensory and appetitive functions like animals. But what makes us uniquely human is our capacity for reason. This includes instrumental reasoning about how to get what we want, along with deliberation about what we should want and how to live. If the distinctively human capacity is rational activity, then human flourishing must consist in exercising that capacity excellently. Just as a harpist flourishes by playing the harp well, humans flourish by living rationally well. This does not mean becoming calculating machines. Reason, for Aristotle, involves both theoretical understanding (contemplating truth) and practical wisdom (navigating the complexities of everyday life). ::: {.callout-note title="Virtue (Aretē)"} The Greek word _aretē_ is often translated as "virtue" but more literally means "excellence." A thing has _aretē_ when it performs its function well. Human _aretē_ is the set of character excellences that enable a person to live well. ::: Virtue, then, is not a matter of following moral rules. It is a matter of developing excellent character traits that enable you to function well as a human being. The virtuous person does not need to consult a rulebook. They perceive the right thing to do in each situation and are motivated to do it. Their emotions, desires, and actions are all properly aligned.