What makes a person ready to do the right thing at the right time in the right measure, at the right moment? In Greek, there is a special word for just such an event: KAIROS.

Aristotle was intently interested in the development of character and much interested in the question of a good character. His book, Nicomachean Ethics is one of his most famous and enduring writings. Instead of asking whether a given action is right or wrong, Aristotle formulated other questions, such as how can we develop our character to be read to do the right thing, when called upon. Education, he thought, along with the training the intellect, also can be directed to the development of our character.

VIRTUE

I ask you to give some time to considering Aristotle’s definition of virtue, noted on page 257 of our text: Virtue is a habit or disposition of the soul, involving both feeling and action, to seek the mean [sometimes called the golden way] in all things relative to us, where the mean is defined through reason as the prudent man would definite it.

Each of us has to come to terms with our strengths and weaknesses of character. Some of your friends will become hugely famous or make a fortune; others of you will have bad marriages and no children and a miserable domestic life, while others will have a healthy relationship and a couple of good kids. We may be confronted with doing the right thing and fail at acting, in the manner of KAIROS, mentioned above; others, as depicted in the films for this forum, others succeeded. In the end, Aristotle argues that each of us wants happiness; we want to achieve happiness. However, the methods and preparation for happiness, as well as the goal or definition of happiness vary wildly.

Are you ready to do the right thing, when needed? Like firefighters, Aristotle would have us practice, train, reflect for the possible eventuality of doing the right thing, which involves courage. Though Aristotle gave examples of courage in battle, something the Greek man might have a good chance of enduring or experiencing, our text mentions everyday courage, broadening the concept to include many parts of contemporary life, without deflating this noble virtue. Give an example of your own, concerning courage. Tell us about it.