A Study Of Aristotle’s Thoughts On Moral Education

As a representative of moral ethics,Aristotle’s moral thought has a profound influence on the west and even the world.His works,such as the Ethics of Otaimo,the Great Ethics and Nicomachean Ethics,reflect Aristotle’s thoughts on virtue,while his book Politics puts virtue into real life,reflecting the correlation between practice and virtue,life and virtue,education and virtue.Although Aristotle did not refine virtue education into a proper term for future reference,it is not difficult to find that virtue education plays a very important role in it after reading through his works.Education is absolutely indispensable to cultivate and improve virtue.Therefore,this thesis is devoted to exploring his thoughts on moral education and clarifying the educational purpose,subject and curriculum embodied in Aristotle’s works,in the hope of seeking a new breakthrough for current education.This article consists of six parts.The first part is the introduction,including the origin of the study,significance,literature review at home and abroad about the theory of virtue,research difficulties and methods.The first chapter focuses on the main ideas that Aristotle’s moral education relies on,and expounds three theories: metaphysical teleology,Socrates’ moral teachable theory and Plato’s and Aristotle’s soul theory.These three theories suggest that moral education is possible and that the human soul provides suitable soil for its growth.Chapter two,the purpose of education.The purpose of Aristotle’s moral education is to teach for happiness and cultivate individuals who can live well and do well.He believes that the highest good that people pursue is happiness,so all the behaviors of people should be centered around the highest good.Therefore,the deepest pursuit of moral education should also be happiness,and happiness itself is a kind of behavior of virtue,virtue and happiness can not be divided.The third chapter expounds the subject of education.Firstly,on educators,Aristotle tends to take the city and the family as the subject of education.Among them,he is more inclined to the role of the city in education,but also affirming and praising the role of the family as the subject of education.Secondly,the educates refer to free citizens.Aristotle believes that what they receive is free education,through which they cultivate perfect virtue.Chapter four,the curriculum.According to the eighth volume of "Political Science",three courses of gymnastics,music and ethics are summarized.Firstly,gymnastics is discussed,which mainly focuses on strengthening the body,cultivating brave qualities,and moderate and following the way of nature.Secondly,talking about music,focusing on practice around managing leisure,cultivating virtue and personalization;Finally,it discusses ethics,teaches people to master the related concepts of virtue in the form of monographs,and helps learners to acquire dialectics.The fifth chapter evaluates Aristotle’s thought of moral education,reflects on current education,and probes into the enlightenment of Aristotle’s thought of moral education to modern education.At present,the pace of development of education is getting faster and faster,but in the process of rapid progress,we should not easily forget the wisdom of our ancestors.Aristotle’s thought of moral education shines brightly in the change of times,and can still provide new ideas for the development of current education.His educational thought suggests that we need to balance the practicality and impracticality of education,focus on leisure and examine moral education,and base on emotion to help moral education.