In this episode, Christian and Brandon tackle one of the defining pinnacles of "Western" philosophy. This text is of the utmost importance because Aristotle's rationality, especially as it pertains to metaphysics, ethics, and politics, is very much still alive today. Have you ever heard the saying "The truth is somewhere in between two extremes"? Or that the highest virtue that leads to happiness is contemplation? Have you ever been moved by the art of Dante or Dickens? Aristotle.

The Nichomachean Ethics is famous for introducing, what Aristotle calls, "the golden mean." In all forms of action, Aristotle says, there are two polar extremes. Virtue is learning how to find the proper ratios between these two polarities. For example, cowardice and recklessness are two polar extremes; courage is the virtue that comes from discerning and acting upon the proper course of action between these two extremes. Through constant practice--what Aristotle calls habituation--moral virtues are acquired which will gradually lead one to intellectual virtues. As one masters all virtues, through the act of contemplation, a man will be a god on earth, leading and helping the rest of humanity on their journey.

It should come as no surprise that Aristotle played a chief role in the formation of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim theologies. He further established rational values that flourished during the Enlightenment period, that we are today reaping the fruits of.