Opposition as a Necessary Condition for Aristotle’s Theory of the Mean
Abstract
This study investigates the theory of opposition (enantiotita) as formulated by Aristotle and its essential role in supporting his theory of the "mean" (mesotita). The author argues that opposition possesses an ontological dimension in Aristotelian thought, serving as a necessary framework for understanding any nature in a state of change or development. The paper explores the Aristotelian principle that all things produced are generated from their opposites—such as good and evil, or justice and injustice—and that a transition exists between these extreme points. By analyzing Aristotle’s works on the soul (De Anima), physics, and ethics, the author demonstrates how the "mean" is not merely a middle point but a dynamic state of balance between two opposing vices (excess and deficiency). The article concludes that the structure of the physical world, characterized by opposing qualities like light and dark or heat and cold, provides the conceptual foundation for Aristotle's ethical framework of virtue.
Article Details
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Boboli, E. (2020). Opposition as a Necessary Condition for Aristotle’s Theory of the Mean . Ηθική. Περιοδικό φιλοσοφίας, (5), 36–45. https://doi.org/10.12681/ethiki.22688
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- No. 5 (2008)
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