After reading The Nature of Virtue in Cahn (p. 145ff) write a 2-3 page (approximately 700 words) essay in which you describe Aristotle’s understanding of the purpose of human life and how humans can be said to live well. After you have summarized his position, respond with your own analysis as to whether you find his position to be accurate, effective or practical in the process of determining ethical behavior. Feel free to compare Aristotle’s version of virtue ethics with Bernard Mayo’s more contemporary expression, which can be found in Cahn p. 141ff. Strong essays will pay particular attention to Aristotle’s concepts of telos, eudaimonia, and his notion of virtue as a mean–or middle ground between two vices.
