arete
Quick Summary
The term "arete" in philosophy refers to virtue or excellence. It's a concept central to ancient Greek thought, particularly in the works of Plato and Aristotle.1234
In essence, arete is what enables something to perform its function well. For a knife, it's sharpness; for an eye, it's clear vision. For humans, arete is what allows for a good life, often translated as "human flourishing".1
Ancient Greek philosophers like Socrates and Plato sought to define these virtues, which traditionally included courage, justice, temperance, and wisdom. Aristotle further developed this idea, proposing that moral virtue lies in a "mean" between two extremes of excess and deficiency. For example, courage is the mean between cowardice and foolhardiness. This pursuit of virtue was seen as intrinsically rewarding and beneficial to the community.134
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
