Ancient and MEdieval Political Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ancient and MEdieval Political Theory - Essay Example If only ISIS knew Nicomachean Ethics, it may have reexamined its ideological approach and realize that extremism is not the right way to go about in life. Aristotle’s discourse on Nicomachean Ethics prescribes moderation and balance on everything. It posits that anything taken to the extreme, including ideology is never good. According to Nicomachean ethics, nature teaches us that excess can destroy us (Kraut). For example, the basic of function of nutrition must be in moderation that we will only eat according to what our body needs that overeating can make us obese while under eating can make us malnourish. This law of nature also applies to morals – that is, we should exercise temperance and endeavor to achieve and preserve the mean which in plain language meant balance or moderation. Applying this to ideology, it meant that we should exercise moderation in what we believe. If are too extreme or bent or become hardliner, we could commit atrocious acts such as what ISIS is now doing to people. Extremism can also make us intolerant and blind to the perspective of others. This is a very evident in the error of reasoning of ISIS to impose their own brand of Islam of which Islamic scholars themselves dismiss as un-Islamic for nowhere in the Quran does it preach violence, rape and destruction. In their effort to impose their disagreeable perspective, they will terrorize anyone who would not heed them evident with the hundreds of Iraqis they executed when they refused to convert to their brand of Islam. Moderation must also be practiced at all times according to Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. Using the same example of nutrition, one has to nourish the body in moderation all the time to keep it healthy and make it strong. Obviously ISIS does not do moderation in constancy. What they are consistent about is on their ideology of hate which was borne out of extremism. This explains why terrorism will not just stop easily because the realization that