Aristotle's Function Argument: Exermine The Function Of The Human Being

The purpose of Aristotle’s function argument is to determine the function of the human being, in order to identify the true human good. The role of the argument in Aristotle’s investigation is to eliminate typical natures belonging to living species and determine the characteristic that is most unique to human life, which is ration. Then stating how human function is an activity of the soul, Aristotle uses his elimination method to state that in order for the human function to be performed well, that it must act in accordance with ration. It is useful to understand the concept of function as it applies to human beings because without it, we would not understand how it connects with our virtues and human good. Virtues, as Aristotle describes them, are best when they are complete and self-sufficient because we are pursuing them for no other reasons but themselves. Therefore, virtues are not …show more content…
According to Aristotle, it is logical to assume that the human being has a function, “for all things that have a function or activity, the good and the ‘well’ is thought to reside in the function”; suggesting that the good for human beings continges on their ability to perform their function well. Take for example, the carpenter and the tanner, both have functions to produce the products that their customers would like to buy. However, these products, and essentially the craft itself, would serve no function if they did not contribute a greater aspect of human life. He goes on to say that parts of the body, such as eyes and hands, serve specific functions, like sight and grasping. It is on this