Question

Outline Nussbaum’s argument for the claim that Aristotle’s virtues are universal rather than culturally relative.

Answer 1

Aristotle had to defined virtues as wisdom, magnificence, prudence, justice, liberality, magnanimity, courage, fortitude, temperance, and these virtues according to Aristotle are through habits and practice.

According to Aristotle, human sociability depends on three concepts that are appeal to ordinary beliefs, appeal to tradition, and use of language, it defines one's natural feeling of having a friend, which means people require an association to live. The association can be seen as parents and child, and between the members of the same nation. That means having a good friend is a part of having a good life. Aristotle talks about language as a mode of social interaction only human being used language it gives wisdom and social life. The social life includes justice liberty prudence these are due to habits and practice.

Cultural relativism is not judging others' cultures from one’s point of view and from his own standards of what is right or wrong. Every culture has its own plus and minus point. If one starts judging the other culture from his point of view there will be many events, practices, and belief he may not agree.

Nussbaum’s perspective says that people have many opportunities but what they select and act shows their capabilities as the precondition for performing that act. If we look at the Aristotelian way of education it looks it is based on human cultivation of the mind, the cultivation of mind makes one have higher and liberal education and that helps in young generation having an active political life. Aristotle favors rules the best over the rest and based on capabilities and not on blood he favored a constitutional government.

Thus according to Nussbaum Aristotle's virtues are universal rather than culturally relative because Aristotle's virtue on friendship, education social life, and political life is universally accepted.