On what is properly human in the Nicomachean ethics

• Autor(a) principal: Santana, Juliana
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Argumentos : Revista de Filosofia (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://periodicos.ufc.br/argumentos/article/view/78535
• topic: Properly human. Practical reason. Theorectical reason.; Propriamente humano. Razão prática. Razão teorética.

In this paper we intend to investigate what the Nicomachean Ethics proposes as being properly human, which of the uses of the capacity of reason could be configured as such, specifically defining man. The question arose from the observation that the treatise describes man sometimes as a political animal, sometimes its rational aspect is highlighted, however, without openly associating or dissociating these two characteristics. We found a double specification not related in the treatise, but strongly linked to the capacity of the rational soul and its practical and theoretical uses. Therefore, we propose a research concerning what is properly human from what the treatise indicates regarding reason. Therefore, we begin with observations of the first Books, but especially Book I, because there we see highlighted that man is naturally political, but also the beginning of the discussion about reason. We continue with more detailed research of Book VI and what it presents regarding the relations and dissensions of the two types of reason, as well as their virtues. Afterwards, we visit the lines of Book X, in its second half, that sometimes emphasizes the theoretical use and the life of contemplation, sometimes indicates the impossibilities of living fully in this way, reinforcing the importance of the proposed research and bringing us crucial elements to the answer we are looking for.