| Phi 110 Fall 2015 |
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This assignment comes in two parts. The first is a part of book iii where Aristotle focuses on the idea of actions, something for which he takes deliberation to be central, while the second consists of selections from his discussion of “intellectual virtues” (book vi) that are concerned with “prudence,” the ability or skill we call on in deliberating.
• In the first of the assignment, Aristotle discusses a group of related ideas. Although the translations of his terms for them are not as problematic as ‘happiness’ is, you can see how Irwin takes the ideas to fit together by looking at his glossary entries for ‘action’, ‘decision’, ‘desire’, and ‘voluntary’.
• The use of ‘prudence’ to translate Aristotle’s term phronēsis is more problematic and you should definitely consult Irwin’s glossary entry for that translation.
Near the end of the entry, he uses the term ‘practical’ in the broad sense of ‘concerned with action’ (as opposed to the narrower sense employed in a sentences like ‘That proposal just isn’t practical’), and that broad sense appears also in Irwin’s heading for book vi, ch. 11. Although Irwin doesn’t use the word ‘practical’ often, it’s worth remembering that it may be used broadly. The phrase ‘practical wisdom’ (with ‘practical’ in the broad sense) is a common translation of phronēsis, and the phrase will used for similar ideas in things you will read later.