Book 2 / Chapter 4
Paragraph 3 - Conditions for Virtuous Action
Explanation - Part By Part
"Again, the case of the arts and that of the virtues are not similar; for the products of the arts have their goodness in themselves, so that it is enough that they should have a certain character, but if the acts that are in accordance with the virtues have themselves a certain character it does not follow that they are done justly or temperately."
Aristotle is drawing a distinction between the arts (like craftsmanship or technical skills) and virtues (moral and ethical qualities). When it comes to arts, the value or "goodness" of a product—such as a sculpture or a chair—lies entirely in the object itself. If the product is well-made, its quality can stand on its own, regardless of the mindset or intention of the person who created it.
However, virtues operate differently. Just because an action looks virtuous (e.g., someone giving to charity or helping a neighbor), it doesn't automatically mean it was carried out in a truly just or temperate way. Virtuous actions require more than just an external appearance—they must also align with the internal state and intention of the person performing the action.
In short: The goodness of a product in the arts can be judged by itself, but the goodness of an action in virtue requires deeper scrutiny because intentions and personal character matter.
"The agent also must be in a certain condition when he does them; in the first place he must have knowledge, secondly he must choose the acts, and choose them for their own sakes, and thirdly his action must proceed from a firm and unchangeable character."
Here, Aristotle is emphasizing that it's not enough to simply perform acts that look virtuous on the surface—like doing something just or temperate—for those acts to truly be virtuous. The person performing them (the agent) must meet three key conditions for the actions to genuinely reflect virtue:
1. Knowledge: The person must understand what they're doing and why it's virtuous. It can't just be accidental or blindly following instructions.
2. Choice and Intention: The person must deliberately choose to act virtuously, and they should do it for its own sake. Essentially, they're choosing to do the right thing because it’s good, not because of some hidden benefit, pressure, or fear.
3. Steadfast Character: The action must come from a person who has a stable and reliable internal disposition—a character that is consistently virtuous. It’s not enough to act rightly in a one-off situation; the action must reflect who the person truly is at their core.
In simpler terms, it’s not just what you do but why and how you do it that really matters in ethics. To be virtuous, your actions have to come from a place of genuine understanding, true intention, and a steady moral foundation.
"These are not reckoned in as conditions of the possession of the arts, except the bare knowledge; but as a condition of the possession of the virtues knowledge has little or no weight, while the other conditions count not for a little but for everything, i.e. the very conditions which result from often doing just and temperate acts."
Here, Aristotle is making a distinction between arts (or crafts/skills) and virtues. The key point is that what is required to possess or achieve excellence in the virtues is very different from what is required for mastery in a craft or art.
For the arts (like grammar, painting, or carpentry), the primary and almost sole prerequisite for success is knowledge—knowing the techniques or rules of the craft. If you have the know-how, you're considered skilled at the craft, and the quality of the product you create is independent of your character or intentions.
In contrast, for virtues, simply knowing what is virtuous (what it means to act justly or temperately) is insufficient. Knowledge alone does not make someone virtuous. Instead, to truly possess virtues, three essential conditions are needed:
1. The agent must know what they’re doing (they understand it as a virtuous act).
2. They must choose the action for its own sake (they do it because it’s the right thing to do, not out of fear, compulsion, or for some ulterior motive like praise or reward).
3. They must act from a firm, stable, and unchanging character (virtues must become part of who they are—a habitual, settled part of their personality).
In short, for Aristotle, virtues aren’t just about external actions—they are about the internal state or moral character of the person performing the actions. Unlike craftsmanship, virtues demand consistent moral practice and habitual commitment, not just intellectual understanding.