seems to be borrowed a good deal from the, ‘Politics;’ it expounds the principles of Justice which exist in the State, and merely defines Justice in the individual as the will to conform to these principles. Thus really no contribution to ethical science is made. It is shown how Justice is manifested (1) in distributions by the State, (2) in correcting wrongs done between man and man, (3) in the ordinary course of commerce. Some first steps in political economy, being remarks on the nature of money, on value, and on price, given in chap, v., are perhaps the most interesting points in this book.
Book VI. appears to be to some extent borrowed from Aristotle’s ‘Organon’ and treatise ‘On the Soul.’ It is confusedly written, and two questions seem to be mixed up in it: (1) What is the Moral Standard? (2) What are the Intellectual excellences? The former question receives no definite answer; with regard to the latter we are informed that there are two distinct and supremely good modes of the intellect—“Wisdom,” which is the culmination of the philosophic reason, and “Thought,” which is the perfection of the practical reason. This latter quality forms the main subject of the book. It is described as being developed in combination with the development of the moral will. It is an ideal attribute, and we are told that “he who has ‘Thought’ possesses all the virtues” (‘Eth.’ VI. xiii. 6). The distinction here indicated between the practical and philosophic reason was undoubtedly a contribution to psychology first made by Aristotle. It was an improvement upon the views of Plato, and a step towards those of Kant.
