Doctrine of the Golden Mean

The concept of Aristotle’s theory of Golden mean is represented in his work called ‘Nicomachean ethics’, in which Aristotle explains the origin, nature and development of virtues which are essential for achieving the ultimate goal, happiness, which must be desired for it. It must not be confused with material pleasures, although there are many people who consider this to be real happiness, since they are the most basic form of pleasures. It is a way of life that enables us to live in accordance with our nature, to improve our character, to better deal with the inevitable hardships of life and to strive for the good of the whole, not just of the individual.

The golden mean according to Aristotle represents a balance between extreme, i.e. vices. For example, courage is the middle between one extreme of deficiency (cowardice) and the other extreme of extreme (recklessness). A coward would be a warrior who flees from the battlefield and a reckless warrior would charge at fifty enemy soldiers. This doesn’t mean that the golden mean is the exact arithmetical middle depends on the situation. There is no universal middle that would apply to every situation.

Aristotle said, “It’s easy to be angry, but to be angry at the right time, for the right reason, at the right person and in the right intensity must truly be brilliant.” Because of the difficulty, the balance in certain situations can represent, constant moral improvement of the character is crucial for recognizing it. This, however, doesn’t imply that Aristotle upheld moral realism because he listed certain emotions and actions (hate, envy, jealously, theft) as always wrong, regardless of the situation at hand. The golden mean applies only for virtues, not vices. In some ethical systems, however, murder can be justified in certain situations, like self-defense.

In journalism, the sensational is derided and the virtues of balance, fairness, and equal time are recognized.

In Chinese philosophy, a similar concept, Doctrine of the Mean, was propounded by Confucious. According to Confucious, “Moral virtue is the appropriate location between two extremes.” The Doctrine of Mean is a text rich with the symbolism and guidance to perfecting oneself. The mean is also described as the ‘unwobbling, pivot’ or ‘chingyung’. ‘Chung’ means bent neither one way or another and ‘yung’ represents unchanging.

Knowledge, humanity and courage- these are virtues which apply to all humanity and that by which they are practiced is one. The wise practice of the virtue of wisdom, courage and humanity requires that all the virtues be practiced together. First, a person can’t be wise without being courageous in facing dangers to one’s search for truth, and a person can’t be wise without loving consideration of ideal humanity in both self and other. Second, a person can’t be courageous without wise consideration of both the dangers one must face and of the true ideal of humanity in both self and other as a value of inherent worth which is more precious than mere physical life. Finally, a person can’t exercise the virtue of true humanity without a wise understanding of the value of wisdom and of autonomy (self choice/self guidance) and without a grasp of the inherent value and beauty of courageous actions on behalf of wisdom and true humanity. In summary, wisdom, courage and humanity and indeed all other virtues by extension, must be practiced together as one.

Because wisdom, courage and humanity must all be practiced together and indeed with all other virtues, therefore a wise balancing of all aspects of one’s personal and social virtues is a Golden Mean.

According to Buddha, the middle way is a life lived between the extremes of self denial and self indulgence. Neither Hedonist nor Ascetic are to be limited for the Noble Eightfold Path weaves its way through life avoiding both these unenlightened lifestyles. To see the world in the light of the Buddha-Dharma is to have Right view, not only recognizing the suffering that is caused by desire, but also the path that leads to the ending of all such suffering, based in the Right intention to let go of lust, ill will and cruelty. In other words, to lead a harmless life Right speech, action and livelihood grow out of such an intention, directing one’s lifestyle in a more selfless rather than selfish direction. Right effort is the avoidance of unwholesome states and the cultivation of wholesome ones. Right Mindfulness and concentration take this well directed mind and hone it to the point where it is on the precipice of the great void that is known as Nirvana. The perfection of the path (that is, the Middle way), is the ripening of the spiritual life; it becomes a fruit ready to drop into the infinity of enlightment…forever.