Abstract: The paper explores Aristotle’s notion of proairesis and its theoretical background, with the aim of presenting a novel interpretation of the concept, under five headings. These are:
praxis and poiēsis are different aspects of human activity (energeia) rather than different kinds of it.
End and means are correlative rather than complementary components of activity.
Activity as praxis is continuous: there are no distinct, elementary, indivisible actions.
Desire (orexis) and deliberation (bouleusis) are not distinct and complementary components of the mental process that results in activity, but are the principles of proairesis.
Since activity is identical with the individual’s entire and continuous lifespan, proairesis denotes a constant and perpetually present attitude of the human soul.
© De Gruyter 2014
