ARISTOTLE’S VIRTUE ETHICS AS AN INSPIRATION FOR CONTEMPORARY ETHICAL THOUGHT

Issues related to ethics and morality are constantly the subject of reflection and discussion at many levels of life of contemporary man. In the era of rapid technological development, which is far ahead of the development of ethics, it is extremely important to define its modern version. The issue is which tools to use and models to draw from. The theory of moral action itself is nothing new. On the contrary, it has a centuries-old tradition, dating back to ancient times. Today this tradition has become forgotten, considered inadequate for modern times. Meanwhile, by delving into ancient texts, one can find again in them a wealth of thoughts that are timeless and can serve for contemporary ethical considerations. It is, therefore, useful to refer to the sources of reflection on morality provided by ancient ethics, especially Aristotle’s texts. One of the key categories of Aristotelian ethics is virtue, i.e. excellence. Aristotle studies the good, how to live a happy life, how to achieve one’s ends, and how to be just. He formulates his ethics by analysing various virtues that a man can work on and develop and presents the conditions they must meet in order to be judged morally. It seems that a return to the classical concept of ethics and a new look at Aristotle’s virtue ethics may prove to be an inspiring proposal for contemporary ethical research.