Aristotle's Ethical Concepts

Here are my proposed translations for key concepts in Aristotle's thinking about character, action, and wisdom (contrasted with some common, often Latinate renderings):

• αἵρεσις (hairesis) = taking, pursuit, choice
• ἀκρασία (akrasia) = lack of self-control (not "incontinence")
• ἁμαρτία (hamartia) = missing the mark (not "sin")
• ἀπορία (aporia) = impasse, perplexity (not "puzzle")
• ἀρετή (arete) = thriving, excellence (not "virtue")
• βίος (bios) = way of life
• βουλεύω = to make a plan
• βούλησις (boulesis) = wish, intention, decision (not "conation")
• διάνοια (dianoia) = thinking (not "intellection")
• δύναμις (dunamis) = power, strength, ability (not "potentiality")
• ἐγκράτεια (enkrateia) = self-control (not "continence")
• εἶδος (eidos) = way of being, identity (not "species" or "form")
• ἐνέργεια (energeia) = working at a task (not "activity")
• ἐντελέχεια (entelecheia) = achieving a goal, becoming complete (not "actuality")
• ἕξις (hexis) = practice (not "habit")
• ἐπιθυμία (epithumia) = craving, need
• ἔργον (ergon) = task (not "function")
• εὐδαιμονία (eudaimonia) = flourishing, living well (not "happiness")
• ἡδύ (hedu) = enjoyment, pleasure
• ἦθος (ethos) = character
• θεωρία (theoria) = inquiry (not "contemplation")
• θυμός (thumos) = feeling, want
• καλόν (kalon) = rightness, beauty (not "nobility")
• μεγαλοψυχία (megalopsuchia) = full aliveness, greatness of soul (not "pride")
• μεσότης (mesotes) = balance (not "the mean")
• ὄρεξις (orexis) = reaching, yearning (not "appetition")
• πράξις (praxis) = activity, conduct
• προαίρεσις (proairesis) = plan, choice; literally "fore-taking"
• σκοπός (skopos) = target
• συμφέρων (sumpheron) = gain, advantage
• σοφία (sophia) = sagacity, wisdom
• σωφροσύνη (sophrosune) = moderation, mindfulness (not "temperance")
• τέλος (telos) = goal, completeness
• φρόνησις (phronesis) = wisdom, good judgment (not "prudence")
• χρῆσις (chresis) = use, employment, application
• ψυχή (psuche) = aliveness (not "soul")

In addition, as part of the research for Complete Yourself I plan to translate core passages in which the following terms occur:

• agathos
• arete
• bios
• energeia
• enkrateia
• ergon
• ethos
• eudaimonia
• eusebeia
• hexis
• kalos
• makarios
• megalopsuchia
• phaulos
• phronesis
• psuche
• sophia
• sophos
• sophrosune
• spoudaios
• zoe

Peter Saint-Andre > Writings > Aristotle