Ethical Methodology in Aristotle’s Eudemian Ethics

This project explores Aristotles views on how to conduct ethical inquiries and investigates the strategies, tools and norms he employs when discussing ethical phenomena in the Eudemian Ethics. A recent theme in scholarly discussions of Aristotles ethics revolves around whether his ethical inquiries and arguments are solely grounded on endoxareputable opinions. This approach, which relies on established views and popular beliefs, is often associated with a dialectical method, in contrast to a scientific method that rest on arguments reasoning from facts. Traditionally, scholars have held that Aristotle adopts a dialectical approach in his ethical works, with some even suggesting that he applies this method across all areas of his philosophy. According to this view, Aristotles goal in ethical inquiries is to account for ethical phenomena in a way that harmonizes the largest consistent set of reputable opinions which are used as the starting point of his arguments. Recently, a minority of scholars have begun to question the dominance of the dialectical interpretation in both ethics and other areas of Aristotles philosophy. This shift is partly driven by closer study of Aristotle`s Posterior Analytics, which has prompted a reevaluation of his methodological tools and led to a shift toward a scientific approach. While there has been some studies that focus on the Nicomachean Ethics in this regard, his second major ethical treatise, the Eudemian Ethics, has received comparatively less attention, largely due to the Nicomachean Ethics reputation as Aristotles more mature and philosophically satisfying work on ethics. Furthermore, few scholars who advocate for a scientific interpretation of the Nicomachean Ethics continue to support the prevailing view that associates the Eudemian Ethics with a dialectical approach, typically seen as part of Aristotles earlier philosophical methodology, which he later abandoned. Having previously contributed to the debate on Aristotles ethical methodology in the Nicomachean Ethics, in this project I concentrate on the Eudemian Ethics, the second prominent ethical work that has been overlooked in discussions regarding methodology. The project challenges the traditional dialectical view, proposing that Aristotles approach in the Eudemian Ethics aligns more closely with the scientific method outlined in the Posterior Analytics rather than a dialectical one. By offering the first comprehensive analysis focused exclusively on the Eudemian Ethics ethical methodology, this project also seeks to clarify Aristotles reasons for authoring two ethical treatises, exploring this question through methodological rather than developmental considerations, which have generally been seen as philosophically less interesting and compelling.