Nicomachean Ethics Essay

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8/23/12 Period 8 Summer Assignment Aristotle describes the proud man, also referred to as the great-souled man, in his “Nicomachean Ethics.” He describes the proud man as the average of vain and petty. He says, “The proud man, then, is an extreme in respect of the greatness of his claims, but a mean in respect of the rightness of them; for he claims what is accordance with his merits, while the others go to excess or fall short.” Both John Keating, eccentric English teacher from the movie “Dead Poet’s Society,” and architect Howard Roark of Ayn Rand’s novel “The Fountainhead,” exhibit characteristics of Aristotle’s proud man, but at the same time have some shortcomings of this ideal. Both Roark and Keating have ideals of Aristotle’s proud man with few exceptions such as passionate freedom of expression, giving without receiving, and a higher regard for honor than material, but Keating falls short of Roark in matching the proud man’s level-headed demeanor and rhythmic mannerisms. Howard Roark and John Keating share with the proud man of Aristotle’s Nicomachean ethics a passionate freedom of expression. Along with freedom of expression stands a disregard for the opinions of others and a high regard for personal ideals. Aristotle says, “He must also be open in his hate and in his love (for to conceal one's feelings, i.e. to care less for truth than for what people will think, is a coward's part), and must speak and act openly; for he is free of speech because he is contemptuous, and he is given to telling the truth, except when he speaks in irony to the vulgar.” Roark expresses himself most through his buildings and his love for Dominique Francon, daughter of esteemed architect Guy Francon. He is expelled from architecture school at Stanton University for refusing to comply with the requirements of a project that required a classical style building, as he

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