<p>My dissertation analyzes the overlooked
character types of <i>akrasia </i>(un-self-control) and <i>enkrateia </i>(self-control) in
Aristotle’s ethics. In Chapter 1, I argue for the thesis that <i>akrasia </i>and
<i>enkrateia </i>are character types, or settled psychological dispositions, definable
in terms of unique un-self-controlled and self-controlled relations to
choice-making. In Chapters 2 and 3, I argue for the thesis that agents do not
express these character types only in temperance’s practical domain; rather,
agents can express <i>akrasia</i> and <i>enkrateia</i> in any practical domain
where one’s reason can conflict with one’s desire, so the character types have
wide ranges of expression. More specifically, in Chapter 2, I develop a
distinction between strict forms of the character types, which agents express
in temperance’s practical domain, and loose forms of the character types, which
agents express in other practical domains (e.g., in courage’s practical
domain). I also argue that the strict and loose forms of each of the character
types are united according to the ontological and terminological relation of
metaphor, or inclusive resemblance. In Chapter 3, I draw two lines of psychological
justification for the view that <i>akrasia </i>and <i>enkrateia </i>are wide-ranging
character types and respond to some scholarly objections. In Chapter 4, I build
an account of ethical practical syllogisms and differentiate them from
non-ethical practical syllogisms; I argue that an agent expresses her character
type through each feature of an ethical practical syllogism (i.e., not only
through the enacted choice that concludes an ethical practical syllogism, but
also through the propositions she exercises in it). Finally, in Chapter 5, I
construct and analyze loose akratic and enkratic practical syllogisms in a
variety of practical domains to show that <i>akrasia </i>and <i>enkrateia </i>are character
types with wide ranges of expression.<b></b></p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:purdue.edu/oai:figshare.com:article/12671072 |
| Date | 05 August 2020 |
| Creators | Samuel C Bennett (9138071) |
| Source Sets | Purdue University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, Thesis |
| Relation | https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/With_and_Without_Self-Control_The_Aristotelian_Character_Types_of_Akrasia_and_Enkrateia/12671072 |
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