Final answer:
Aristotle believes in seeking a balanced virtue, which is the mean between extremes of deficiency and excess. Through habitual practice and rational deliberation, we can cultivate this virtue, leading to eudaimonia, or human flourishing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Aristotle believes we should avoid excess and defect and seek balanced virtue. His ethical theory, as outlined in his Nicomachean Ethics, emphasizes that virtue is the mean between the extremes of deficiency and excess, which are forms of vice. As an example, the virtue of bravery is a mean between too much fear and too little fear, which are cowardice and rashness, respectively. Aristotle recommended that by habitual practice of virtuous actions, we could develop a virtuous character that ultimately contributes to our well-being, a concept referred to as eudaimonia. Central to the exercise of virtue is the need for rational deliberation and the practical application of wisdom.