Final answer:
In Aristotle's philosophy, individuals are not the most basic ethical unit; rather, social relations and context are vital for ethical development, making the answer to the student's question false.
Step-by-step explanation:
To address the question, in Aristotle's view, individuals are not the most basic ethical unit. Instead, Aristotle emphasized that humans are inherently social or political beings, and it is within the context of these social relations that our rational and virtuous development occurs. This view is clear in his work 'Nicomachean Ethics', where he explores the concept of eudaimonia (flourishing or happiness) and the role of virtues in achieving it. Aristotle believed that virtues are cultivated through social interactions and are habits of character that guide us in making ethical decisions. Therefore, the attainment of eudaimonia is closely linked with one's participation and role in society. Furthermore, Aristotle's ethical philosophy stressed the importance of relationships, justice, friendship, and government to human existence, asserting that studying the human world is necessary to understand ethics. Hence, the individual's engagement with society is essential to ethical living. The answer to the student's question is therefore false; the social context is the basic ethical unit in Aristotle's philosophy.