Source
r/askphilosophy•
Optickone

What are some of the obstacles to the acquisition of virtue?

In the Meno, Socrates is met with the question "Can virtue be taught?". Upon further reading of Plato and Aristotle, I've come to the conclusion that virtue = knowledge. In that case, any or all virtues fundamentally require some sort of knowledge so in essence yes it can be taught.

In this regard, the only obstacle to acquiring virtue would then, in fact, be the same obstacles as learning/teaching any subject?

Am I completely off base here?

Posted Jan 10, 2018, 6:34 PM UTC · edited

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mediaisdeliciousPhil. of Communication, Ancient, Continental•

According to Aristotle: bad luck (including bad luck with respect to your parents), bad examples, bad teachers, inadequate practice, too much attention to pleasure/honor, bad friends, etc.

4
OptickoneOP•

So specifically external factors? (Nurture)

I'm struggling at the moment, interpreting Nicomachean Ethics.

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mediaisdeliciousPhil. of Communication, Ancient, Continental•

Yeah, certainly nurture - but nature too. You could just be lucky or, as we even still believe, you could just be impulsive.

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goranstoja•

You canot learn virtue like you learn German language or cooking. Sure there are intellectual virtues and moral virtues. You need to train them like you are training a dog. We are all creature of habit, 95% of what you do and think and feel is the same you did yesterday or 1 year ago. Successful people, happy people are like that cos thez have virtue. Thats why habit is destiny. Dont think now about virtues, do easy experiment with your self for next 7 days, pick good habit (to drink 2l water a day, to train 30 min, to meditate, do morning shower, just pick one). Then see what is obstacle. A lot of people talk about self-improvement, and rad about self-help but do nothing. For Aristotle knowledge is start you need practice.

1