You know, Aristotle got a lot of things right . . . . I'm reading his work on Ethics right now and I'm impressed with his deductions on the whole, but . . . alas . . . his expectations over-reach what this world and mankind's fallen nature can realistically deliver without the assistance of salvific grace and the support of the 7 sacraments, if even then. You see, his definition of the virtuous man is the man who only desires that which is virtuous, period. He has not a single temptation, not one tiny stray thought or appetite. He never has to do subdue his desires with his reason because the two are in complete accord. St. Augustine claimed that such perfection existed only before the fall, and that now it cannot be reached on earth, even by the saints, since temptations exist for us all until we die. In short, we must fight the good fight until the fat lady sings because we will not be able to completely heal ourselves of concupiscience. Knowing that, I can't help but think of how depressingly dark and disappointing Aristotle's life and capabilities must have been to him, in the day-to-day struggle to be a truly virtuous man. How frightful it must've been to know how things should be and see that you cannot make it so, and to have nowhere to turn that you might fulfill what you know is your purpose as man, the rational animal.
On another note, Shakespeare is a pretty clever guy, you know? Reading Richard II and Henry the IV this week - I love the way he deliberately uses words with double meanings to convey ironic truths. He SO rocks!
Pax Christi,
ME
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