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Is it possible to achieve precision in ethics, according to Aristotle? Why, or why not?

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Final answer:

Aristotle's ethics admit to a limited precision due to the variability and context-dependence of human virtues and actions aimed at achieving eudaimonia, the flourishing life. There cannot be absolute precision in ethics as it involves complex human behaviors that cannot be quantified like in mathematical sciences.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to Aristotle's exploration of ethics in Nicomachean Ethics, it is implausible to achieve absolute precision in ethics in the same way as mathematical sciences. Ethics, as a domain of philosophy, deals with complex human behaviors and social relations, which are not as strictly quantifiable or universally definable as mathematical entities. In pursuit of the flourishing life or eudaimonia, Aristotle posited that virtues - habits of character - guide us toward happiness. Virtues help us decide the preferable action in various situations, implying a certain degree of flexibility and practical wisdom rather than rigid precision. Aristotle believed that to understand a thing's virtue, one must identify its function. Just as a knife's virtue is in its ability to cut, humans realize their function and achieve excellence through rational and virtuous development, participating in social relations, and aiming for eudaimonia. The task is to cultivate virtues, and since these are not universally defined, the process is inherently variable and context-dependent. Hence, the precision in ethics that Aristotle discusses admits certain limitations and cannot be compared to other more precise sciences.

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