Phil 210 UCLA Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics Essay

Phil 210 UCLA Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics

Essay

Phil 210 Essay Assignment

 

What is a happy life, and what should one aim for in their actions? Give a summary account of Aristotle’s moral theory. In doing so, explain Aristotle’s conception of Eudaimonia, his argument that Eudaimonia is the proper end (telos) of human beings, his conception of virtue and vice, the role pain and pleasure play within his theory, and his theory of volition and choice.

 

Your essay should be around four pages, double-spaced, in twelve-point font, with 1″ margins. In the paper, your aim should be to develop a position by constructing arguments that could convince a reasonable interlocutor who isn’t knowledgeable of the subject matter. That means your paper should both provide context for understanding the theory you argue for, and explain the reasoning process by which you arrive at your conclusions. For additional guidance in planning and developing your paper, see: http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/writing.html, feel free to contact me with questions, or make an appointment at the learning center. You may use either MLA or APA formatting, and you should cite the Nicomachean Ethics text and any relevant article in developing your argument.

For additional scholarly research and explanation, the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy is an excellent starting point: https://plato.stanford.edu/

 

This paper is worth 40 points and will be graded on the clarity of your thesis (4 pts), its being well formatted, grammatical, and well written (8 pts), the accuracy and informativeness of its content generally (12), your use of sources (4 pts), and the structure and thoughtfulness of your argument (12 pts).