Doctrine of the mean:
The doctrine of Aristotle (384-322 BC) that moral virtue can be defined as a disposition concerned with choice and lying in a mean.
Any given virtue lies between two extremes, for example courage lies in a mean between rashness and cowardice. The mean, however, is not an arithmetical mean, but is ‘relative to us’; that is, to our natural tendencies.
Since we naturally tend more to cowardice than to rashness, the mean is nearer to rashness. (But sometimes Aristotle seems to say only that we should especially avoid our own pet vices.) The doctrine thus risks being vacuous, the mean being whatever point we ought to pursue; this being determined by the moral insight of the trained and practised ‘man of practical wisdom’.
But Aristotle could say that the doctrine reminds us that there are always two opposite errors which we must avoid.
Whether all virtues can be so classified, without artificiality or triviality, may be disputed, but there is no mean of the mean or extremes: we don’t have to avoid excess of virtue, nor (Aristotle’s example) can a man commit adultery with the right woman at the right time in the right way.
Source:
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, book 2, chs 5-9
Table of Contents
- 1 Videos
- 2 Related Products
- 2.1 Doctrine of the Mean: Bilingual Edition, English and Chinese 中庸: A Confucian Classic of Ancient Chinese Literature 四書
- 2.2 The Complete Confucius: The Analects, The Doctrine Of The Mean, and The Great Learning with an Introduction by Nicholas Tamblyn
- 2.3 The Doctrine of the Mean
- 2.4 Confucian Analects, The Great Learning & The Doctrine of the Mean
- 2.5 Mr. Civil Rights: Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP
- 2.6 500 BC The Doctrine of the Mean Confucius
- 2.7 The Lost Tomb of Jesus
- 2.8 Because He Lives (Amen)
- 2.9 Pen Calligraphy Copybook of Regular Script - Great Learning and Doctrine of the Mean - 2 nd Volume - Second Edition (Chinese Edition)
- 2.10 The Doctrine Of The Mean
- double effect doctrine
- pre-established harmony doctrine
- internal relations doctrine
- consequentialism
- relativism
Videos
Doctrine of the Mean: Bilingual Edition, English and Chinese 中庸: A Confucian Classic of Ancient Chinese Literature 四書
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Confucius 孔子 (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 37 Pages - 06/09/2014 (Publication Date) - Dragon Reader (Publisher)
The Complete Confucius: The Analects, The Doctrine Of The Mean, and The Great Learning with an Introduction by Nicholas Tamblyn
- Confucius (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 108 Pages - 12/09/2016 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)
The Doctrine of the Mean
- The Doctrine of the Mean is both a doctrine of Confucianism, and also the title of one of the Four Books of Confucian philosophy.
- The text is attributed to Zisi (also known as Kong Ji), the only grandson of Confucius. It was published as a chapter in the Classic of Rites.
- Chinese (Publication Language)
Confucian Analects, The Great Learning & The Doctrine of the Mean
- Confucius (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 130 Pages - 09/16/2016 (Publication Date) - CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (Publisher)
Mr. Civil Rights: Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Mick Caouette (Director) - Mick Caouette (Writer) - Mick Caouette (Producer)
- English (Playback Language)
- English (Subtitle)
500 BC The Doctrine of the Mean Confucius
- High-quality, full-edition book with no advertisements
- Advanced, feature-rich book reader with excellent customization options
- Easy access to an extensive library of book selections
- English (Publication Language)
The Lost Tomb of Jesus
- In 1980, a bulldozer accidentally uncovered a first-century tomb in Jerusalem. Of the ten ossuaries, or stone coffins, found inside, six bore inscriptions: Jesus son of Joseph, Maria, Mariamene (the name by which Mary Magdalene was known), Joseph, Ma
- Simcha Jacobvici (Director) - James Cameron (Producer)
- English (Publication Language)
- Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Pen Calligraphy Copybook of Regular Script - Great Learning and Doctrine of the Mean - 2 nd Volume - Second Edition (Chinese Edition)
- Du Xiongxia (Author)
- Chinese (Publication Language)
- 42 Pages - 04/01/2016 (Publication Date) - Sichuan Fine Arts Publishing House (Publisher)
The Doctrine Of The Mean
- Confucius (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 22 Pages - 09/10/2010 (Publication Date) - Kessinger Publishing, LLC (Publisher)
Last update 2020-06-17. Price and product availability may change.