Final answer:
In Aristotelian ethics, a virtuous person deliberately chooses to eat the necessary amount of food for health, exhibiting the virtue of temperance and self-control through habituated virtuous action. This is in alignment with the principle of seeking a mean between excess and deficiency, consistent with the concept of flexitarianism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement about virtuous people knowing with reason that only a certain amount of food is necessary for a healthy body, and therefore only desiring that amount, is an application of Aristotelian ethics. Aristotle posited that virtue is a mean between two extremes of excess and deficiency, and is concerned with the right amount of passion and the right action. In his view, a virtuous person would deliberately choose to eat the right amount for sustaining their health—no more, no less—and would do so consistently, reflecting a well-developed character and prudent understanding of self-control.
This choice stems from the virtue of temperance, which governs appetites, and is an excellent state of character achieved through habituation. According to Aristotle, by engaging in repetitive virtuous action, individuals develop a firm disposition towards virtuous behavior. Interestingly, Aristotle's view on virtue correlates with modern dietary approaches like flexitarianism, a balance of moderation that aligns with the concept of choosing a mean in our consumption habits.
Therefore, the connection between virtuous reasoning and the desire for only necessary sustenance is consistent with the principles of Aristotelian virtue ethics, where the virtuous individual's desires are in alignment with rational principles for well-being. True virtue, as Aristotle conceived it, involves navigating between the extremes of gluttony and asceticism towards a balanced and reasoned approach to eating.