Aristotle is a Greek philosopher who lived from 384 BCE to 322 BCE. He is one of the most famous philosophers in history because of his contributions to logic, metaphysics, rhetoric, ethics and politics.
According to Aristotle, virtue is a character trait that allows a person to reach their full potential. A virtue is something that a person does regularly and consistently, with the goal of becoming the best version of themselves.
Philosopher believed in the concept of eudaimonia, or “happiness” (literally “good spirit”). He described this state as living life in accordance with reason and virtue.
Virtue, according to Aristotle, was an important part of being happy. He said that all human beings have four main virtues: prudence (or wisdom), courage, temperance and justice.
Moreover, Aristotle believed that virtues were things that could be learned through experience and practice. For example, courage is the ability to face fear or danger without flinching. People who are courageous are able to do this because they have practiced facing their fears until they become comfortable with them (and eventually learn how not to be afraid).
In addition, Aristotle identified four different types of virtues: moral virtues, intellectual virtues, physical virtues and social virtues. The first three have obvious applications in everyday life; however, social virtues might seem less relevant for modern times than for ancient Greece. According to Aristotle’s definition of virtue though, our society should still value these traits as much as we did thousands of years ago because they make us better people who contribute positively.
