Machek, David (2020). Aristotle on How Pleasure Perfects Activity (Nicomachean Ethics x.5 1175a29-b14): The Optimising-View. Archiv für Geschichte der Philosophie, 104(3), pp. 448-467. de Gruyter 10.1515/agph-2019-0088
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This article offers a new interpretation of Aristotle’s ambiguous and much-discussed claim that pleasure perfects activity (NE x.4). This interpretation provides an alternative to the two main competing readings of this claim in the scholarship: the addition-view, which envisages the perfection conferred by pleasure as an extra perfection beyond the perfection of activity itself; and the identity-view, according to which pleasure just is the perfect activity itself. The proposed interpretation departs from both these views in rejecting their
assumption that pleasure cannot perfect the activity itself, and argues that pleasure makes activity perfect by optimising the exercise of one’s capacities for that activity. Those who build or play music with pleasure do so better than those who do not delight in these activities. The basis of this interpretation is Aristotle’s little-read remarks from the following chapter, i. e. NE x.5, about how pleasure “increases” the activity.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
|---|---|
Division/Institute: |
06 Faculty of Humanities > Department of Art and Cultural Studies > Institute of Philosophy 06 Faculty of Humanities > Department of Art and Cultural Studies > Institute of Philosophy > History of Philosophy |
UniBE Contributor: |
Machek, David |
Subjects: |
100 Philosophy 100 Philosophy > 180 Ancient, medieval & eastern philosophy |
ISSN: |
0003-9101 |
Publisher: |
de Gruyter |
Funders: |
[4] Swiss National Science Foundation |
Language: |
German |
Submitter: |
David Machek |
Date Deposited: |
07 Oct 2020 05:14 |
Last Modified: |
17 Jan 2023 10:19 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.1515/agph-2019-0088 |
BORIS DOI: |
10.7892/boris.146542 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/146542 |
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