From natural character to moral virtue in Aristotle / Mariska Leunissen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Leunissen, Mariska, 1979- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Aristotle.

Virtue.

Moral development.

Biology.

Character.

Physical Description:

xxxii, 216 pages ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2017]

Summary:

From Natural Character to Moral Virtue in Aristotle discusses Aristotle's biological views about 'natural character traits' and their importance for moral development. It provides a new, comprehensive account of the physiological underpinnings of moral development and shows that the biological account of natural character provides the conceptual and ideological foundation for Aristotle's ethical views about habituation. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part I The Physiology and Science of Natural Character

Chapter 1 The Physiology of Natural Character 3

1.1 Introduction 3

1.2 A Well-Mixed Natural Character and the Ease of Habituation 5

1.3 The Relation among Natural Character, Blood, and Material Nature 9

1.4 Human Physiology, Blood, and Natural Character 26

Chapter 2 Changing Natural Character 32

2.1 Introduction 32

2.2 The Influence of Diet, Aging, and Disease on Natural Character 33

2.3 The Influence of Environmental Factors on Natural Character 42

2.4 Some Moral Implications of Aristotle's Views about Natural Character 48

Chapter 3 The Science of Natural Character 55

3.1 Introduction 55

3.2 Aristotle's Familiarity with the Science of Physiognomy 58

3.3 Physiognomy in Aristotle's Prior Analytics 61

3.4 Physiognomy in Aristotle's Biological Treatises 66

Part II The Physiology of Moral Development

Chapter 4 Eugenics and the Production of Good Natural Character 81

4.1 Introduction 81

4.2 The Production of Male Offspring with "Good" Bodies and Characters in the Ideal City 82

4.3 The Moral Advantages and Heredity of "Good Birth" and "Natural Talent" 90

4.4 A Biological Account of the Heritability of Natural Character 95

Chapter 5 Perfection and the Psychophysical Process of Habituation 105

5.1 Introduction 105

5.2 The Acquisition of Character Virtue in Physics VII 3 110

5.3 Perfection and the Psychophysical Process of Habituation in the Ethical Treatises 115

5.4 A Psychophysical Account of Habituation Based on Physics VII3 130

Chapter 6 The Natural Character and Moral Deficiencies of Women 139

6.1 Introduction 139

6.2 The Generation of Women and Their Biological Imperfections Relative to Men 140

6.3 From Natural Character to the Virtue of Assistants in Women 152

6.4 A Psychophysical Account of the Moral Deficiencies in Women 167

Chapter 7 Conclusion 177.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780190602215

019060221X

OCLC:

967502893