The Five Virtues of
Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics
1. Techne (Craft or
Art).
Technical or know-how knowledge. Making things in a way which could not be
explained would not be techne.
2. Episteme (Knowledge).
Episteme is good for the
development of explanatory and predictive theory. "All
knowledge seems to be teachable, and what is known is learnable."
3. Phronesis (Practical
Judgment).
Practical
wisdom, otherwise traditionally known as “prudence”. The political art of living well: “True state, reasoned, and
capable for action with regard to things that are good or bad for man”. Phronesis is well suited for the reflexive analysis and
discussion of values (axiology) and interests, which any society needs to thrive. Attempts to reduce or comprehend social science and their
theories via episteme or techne are misguided. As a
side note, Aristotle never elaborates his conception of phronesis to include power (social, economic or
political).
4. Nous
(Intellect). Unlike episteme (knowledge), nous deals with
unarticulated truths and grasping at the sources of knowledge. Equivalent to perception, but that it works with the
mind (“the mind’s eye”). Another term would be “awareness”.
5.Wisdom (Sophia).
Aristotle describes wisdom as a combination of nous and episteme ("knowledge with its
head on").
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