Nicomachean Ethics as the Phenomenon of Self-Denied System

The closest connection between ethics and policy, doctrine of the virtues and doctrine of the state, is the main feature of Nicomachean Ethics. Ethics theoretically determines what human qualities are virtues and what vices. However, knowledge alone is not enough to raise a moral people: legislative measures are necessary. Legislators must determine what actions should make a citizen and from which he should abstain. Only strict law enforcements able to build up steady moral character. Formation of morally perfect people becomes the supreme goal of the State. Aristotle's well-known definition «man is a political being» means that only the person who makes acts for the benefit of society, can be considered virtuous. The most virtuous is the one who with the great pleasure spends a lot of money and efforts into great state-owned enterprises. In this case, political and ethical ideals coincide. Aristotle expresses this coincidence through the concept «state way of life». Besides this «state way of life», there are two more: «animal» and «contemplative». All nine books of «Nicomachean Ethics» are devoted to the condemnation of animal way of life as vicious and promotion of state way of life as the most worthy for the person. Tenth book is devoted to the contemplative life of wise men and philosophers. This book begins to contradict «ideal state man» and produces a revaluation of values. Aristotle argues that contemplative life is the only one, which absolutely corresponds to the notion «highest good». Until now, «highest good» was in charge of policy, corresponds with rightly and ideal state men. Now a wise man is recognizing as most virtuous. Aristotle puts wise man contemplates life above state style of life. Moreover, he says that the state activity is the biggest obstacle to wisdom, since it deprives leisure time, which is necessary for philosophers. The final gap between «wise man» and «political person» occurs because Aristotle characterizes contemplate life as divine. In this case, «divine» is not a literary metaphor, but is direct opposition divine and human. Human measures are not applicable to divine. It belongs also to moral virtues. Gods are out of morals; they are «beyond good and evil». Morality is obligatory standard for the political person, but philosophers, like all divine, stand above morality. Thus, Aristotle's ethical treatise reaches the point of self-denial.

[12] Evgeny Karchagin

Volgograd State Architectural University, Russian Federation

Dmitry Jaworski

Volgograd branch of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration