Write an essay on the ways in which pacifism and/or non-violence can be viewed as an Aristotelian virtue.
Read carefully Andrew Fitz-Gibbon’s “Peace” (pages 548-53 in MacKinnon), which briefly surveys the ways in which non-violence and pacifism have been viewed and practiced throughout history. Write an essay in which you examine the ways in which pacifism and/or non-violence (in the various forms Fitz-Gibbon describes) can be viewed as an Aristotelian virtue. In what ways, and in which forms, does this approach to violence fit in with Aristotle’s understanding of the mean? In what ways does it diverge from Aristotle’s approach?
Bear in mind that your task is to show that you understand the approach the philosopher you are writing about takes to the topic he addresses, not whether you agree or disagree with him. This represents a significant departure from the weekly discussion assignments, in which you were largely asked to show some engagement with the material by telling what you thought about a particular topic. The exam asks you to show that you understand the essential principles of these theories and can apply them to a specific argument.
