Abstract

My thesis examines Aristotle's ethics, focusing on his theory of moral education and how it is influenced by his conception of moral excellence. Moral excellence is complex and requires that the parts of the soul be in good condition and in the right relation to each other. The excellent person achieves harmony of thought and desire, which enables him to act consistently for the sake of the noble. Aristotle's model of the acquisition of moral excellence is a developmental one in which the student gradually progresses toward excellence. The child is naturally oriented toward excellence, but his natural capacities must be guided by society and family in order for excellence to be achieved. Aristotle's views on the child's nature and development make nature, habit and teaching all necessary parts of the educational process. In my dissertation, I stress the importance of Aristotle's teleology and concept of nature for his program of moral education, the influence of family and the polis on the child's development, and the interdependence of character and intellectual development. ;Moral education occurs in two stages: initial habituation, which is found in the process of education discussed in the Politics, and final habituation, which is found in the lessons contained in the ethical works. The first stage of education exhibits a certain naturalness and relies on a positive starting point and a good social context. The educator uses the child's impulses toward pleasure and honor and his relationships with family and friends to guide development. Several types of instruction are employed during initial habituation, including musical training, play, imitation, tragedy and repetition of actions. ;Moral education requires intellectual training as well as habituation. In addition to helping him to acquire phronesis, philosophical justification of the nature of the best life motivates the student to try to achieve excellence and helps him to perform those acts which will bring the non-rational part of his soul into good condition. This knowledge unifies the student's desires and enables him to consistently choose noble acts, to perform his function and to achieve moral excellence