Aristotle’s Non-‘Dialectical’ Methodology in the Nicomachean Ethics

Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics is often seen as a paradigm case of a ‘dialecti- cal’ work, on a certain understanding of that term. The ubiquity of this interpreta- tion is evidenced by its presence in the introductions or commentaries accompanying most recent translations of the treatise. Irwin 1999, 326-327 (cf. 1998, 347-349) sets forth the view as follows…