Paedagogia Christiana (Aug 2023)
Aristotelian Politiké Philía as a Subject of Moral Education
Abstract
The concept of moral education in Slovakia is currently undergoing a curricular transformation which is connected with issues concerning the theoretical foundation and basic philosophical setting of ethical education. The conceptual framework of the scientific discussion on ethical education has been introduced; its culmination is the neo-Aristotelian thesis about the philiatic character, which needs to be developed and strengthened educationally. The issue of friendship (philía) completes the discussion on virtues in Nicomachean Ethics and highlights the positive quality of interpersonal relationships as areté, that is, a disposition that can be purposefully pursued, i.e. intentionally formed. Aristotle’s well-known theory of friendship (philía) distinguishes between two kinds of imperfect, false friendship (‘for pleasure’ or ‘for profit’) and true friendship; moral good is its goal. Besides the vertical gradation of this quality concerning its perfection (two kinds – imperfect, false friendship and true friendship), it also offers a horizontal differentiation of forms of social realisation of friendship in the context of community (favour, eunoia) and wider society (concord, politiké philía). ‘Political friendship’ is thus presented as a civic virtue, worthy of effort (cf. EN VIII.10; EE 1242b; Pol. III.5, IV.2). Character education, with a focus on the development of this quality, is manifested not only as the subject of cultivating the individual personality for the ‘happy life’ of man but also as a political requirement, reflecting the interests of the state.
