Summary Questions

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Summary Questions - Aristotle/Confucius

Put things in your own words unless the question asks for a direct quote. Answer each question in 8-12 sentences.

For required quotes, use the original assigned Aristotle and Confucius readings, not the editor’s introductions in our course text, the course videos/notes, or any other sources. For Aristotle, the assigned part of the original reading starts with the paragraph near the middle of Chapter 2 that reads “Book II. Virtue, then, being of two kinds…” Do not quote from the first half of Chapter 2, since we are not reading that part. For Confucius, the original reading is attached as PDF.

1. How does Aristotle describe the relation between virtue and pleasure? Give and explain one direct quote from the reading as part of your response, using quotation marks and the in-text citation (Aristotle, ca. 350 B.C.E/2010, Book II, section ___).

2. Think of a famous person (politician, celebrity, athlete, etc.). Describe two of Aristotle’s virtues and assess whether this person achieves the mean level of each or instead tends toward one of the extremes. Use named virtues and vices from the reading in your analysis and link these to specific incidents or behaviors from the life of the person you chose.

3. Think of the same famous person. Describe Confucius’ view on the importance of habituation to a life of virtue and use examples from the person’s life to explain whether or not they follow Confucius’ advice on this topic. Include two direct quotes from Confucius as part of your answer, using quotation marks and the in-text citation (Confucius, ca. 500 B.C.E./n.d., section ___).