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):

• ἀγαθός (agathos) = good [opposed to κακός]
• αἵρεσις (hairesis) = pursuit, choice
• αίσχρός (aischros) = wrong, ugly, shameful; repulsively wrong [opposed to καλός]
• ἀκολασία (akolasia) = decadence, lack of moderation [opposed to σωφροσύνη]
• ἀκρασία (akrasia) = self-indulgence, lack of self-control (not "incontinence")
• ἁμαρτία (hamartia) = missing the mark (not "sin")
• ἀνόητος (anoetos) = thoughtless, lacking in insight
• ἀπορία (aporia) = impasse, perplexity (not "puzzle")
• ἀρετή (arete) = thriving, excellence (not "virtue") [opposed to μοχθηρία]
• ἀφροσύνη (aphrosune) = foolishness [opposed to σωφροσύνη]
• βίος (bios) = way of life
• βουλεύεσθαι (bouleuesthai) = to take counsel with oneself, to reflect
• βούλησις (boulesis) = wish; purpose (not "conation")
• δεῖ (dei) = bound to (not "ought to")
• διάνοια (dianoia) = thinking through (not "intellection")
• δύναμις (dunamis) = ability, capacity (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) = need; craving
• ἔργον (ergon) = task (not "function")
• εὐβουλία (euboulia) = success at reflection; deliberating well
• εὐδαιμονία (eudaimonia) = flourishing, living well (not "happiness")
• εὐπραξία (eupraxia) = success at taking action; conducting oneself well
• ἡδύ (hedu) = enjoyment, pleasure
• ἦθος (ethos) = character
• θεωρία (theoria) = inquiry (not "contemplation")
• θεραπεία (therapeia) = cultivation (not "service")
• θυμός (thumos) = want; ardor
• κακός (kakos) = bad [opposed to ἀγαθός]
• καλός (kalon) = right, beautiful, noble; beautifully right [opposed to αίσχρός]
• λογίζομαι (logizomai) = to consider, to reflect (not "ratiocinate")
• μεγαλοψυχία (megalopsuchia) = greatness of soul (not "pride")
• μεσότης (mesotes) = balance (not "the mean")
• μοχθηρία (mochtheria) = corruption [opposed to ἀρετή]
• νοῦς (nous) = insight (not "intellect")
• ὄρεξις (orexis) = reaching, yearning (not "appetition")
• ὀρθός λόγος (orthos logos) = straight reasoning (not "right reason")
• πάθος (pathos) = experience; feeling
• πράξις (praxis) = taking action
• προαίρεσις (proairesis) = forechoice, planning, decision-making
• σκοπός (skopos) = target
• σοφία (sophia) = sagacity, wisdom
• σοφός (sophos) = knowing, sagacious
• σπουδαῖος (spoudaios) = worthy, serious, good [opposed to φαῦλος]
• συμφέρων (sumpheron) = gain, advantage
• σωφροσύνη (sophrosune) = moderation, mindfulness (not "temperance") [opposed to ἀφροσύνη or ἀκολασία]
• τέλος (telos) = goal, completeness
• φαῦλος (phaulos) = unworthy, trivial, bad [opposed to σπουδαῖος]
• φρόνησις (phronesis) = wisdom, good judgment (not "prudence")
• χρῆσις (chresis) = use, employment, application
• ψυχή (psuche) = aliveness (not "soul")

Peter Saint-Andre > Writings > Aristotle