Kenny McAvoy
Professor Watson
Philosophy paper 1
14 September 2016
Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics is an account on how man can live a complete life, in order to achieve happiness. Aristotle argues happiness is derived from human excellence and in Nicomachean Ethics he provides a guideline for how man can achieve such excellence. Aristotle writes in his work, “Now each function is completed well by being completed in accord with the virtue proper [to that kind of thing]. And so human good proves to be activity of the soul in accord with virtue, and indeed with the best and most complete virtue, if there are more virtues than one.” (9) What Aristotle is conveying in this quote is that the only proper way to achieve and live in excellence is …show more content…
The first two types of friendship are considered more transitory due to their nature. In both a friendship of pleasure and utility, the friends, “wish goods to each other [only] insofar as they love each other.” (121) This means that those in one of these friendships only wishes good for the other, not in his own right, but for the gain they receive. An example Aristotle uses is that of the lover and the beloved. The lover received from the beloved pleasure due to the beloved’s looks. The beloved receive pleasure from the lovers fawning. This relationship in inherently transitory because the beloved must eventually grow old and lose his looks. Without the beloved’s looks, this friendship disintegrates into nothing. A friendship of utility follows similarly, but in the case that the two participants provide each other some useful cause for friendship. The complete friendship of good people in similar virtue has no qualifications, and is therefore, a long lasting and fulfilling friendship. These friendships have no qualification because of the nature behind the love of the two. Aristotle writes, “… good people wish good to the beloved for his own sake in accord with their state.” (125) Good people wish good for others due to their good nature. This relationship is a friendship of loving and not being loved. The two …show more content…
Friendship has its own inherit justice. “The proverb ‘what friends have is common, is correct, since friendship involves community.” (129) Friendships are the base of community. They bring people together and solidify relationships of trust and happiness. Therefore, friendship also contains its own form of justice. Aristotle uses the example, “Similarly, what is unjust toward each of these is also different, and becomes more unjust as it is practiced on closer friends. It is more shocking, for instance, to rob a companion of money than to rob a fellow citizen, to fail to help a brother than a stranger, and to strike one’s father than anyone else.” This example is probably one of the most relatable account to the modern day from Nicomachean Ethics. It is easy for one to see how theft from a friend or family is one of the most disgusting acts in society. This is because a complete friendship has most likely been formed. And complete friendships are created through time, trust, and knowledge of the true being behind each friend. Hence, such a crime is the worst a friend can commit, the violation of trust and love. Aristotle points out that justice increases with the closeness of a friendship. For example, stealing from a stranger or unacquainted friend is merely wrong and frowned upon, but stealing from one’s mother is an act of disgust due to the closeness and nature of the friendship. These
Professor Watson
Philosophy paper 1
14 September 2016
Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics is an account on how man can live a complete life, in order to achieve happiness. Aristotle argues happiness is derived from human excellence and in Nicomachean Ethics he provides a guideline for how man can achieve such excellence. Aristotle writes in his work, “Now each function is completed well by being completed in accord with the virtue proper [to that kind of thing]. And so human good proves to be activity of the soul in accord with virtue, and indeed with the best and most complete virtue, if there are more virtues than one.” (9) What Aristotle is conveying in this quote is that the only proper way to achieve and live in excellence is …show more content…
The first two types of friendship are considered more transitory due to their nature. In both a friendship of pleasure and utility, the friends, “wish goods to each other [only] insofar as they love each other.” (121) This means that those in one of these friendships only wishes good for the other, not in his own right, but for the gain they receive. An example Aristotle uses is that of the lover and the beloved. The lover received from the beloved pleasure due to the beloved’s looks. The beloved receive pleasure from the lovers fawning. This relationship in inherently transitory because the beloved must eventually grow old and lose his looks. Without the beloved’s looks, this friendship disintegrates into nothing. A friendship of utility follows similarly, but in the case that the two participants provide each other some useful cause for friendship. The complete friendship of good people in similar virtue has no qualifications, and is therefore, a long lasting and fulfilling friendship. These friendships have no qualification because of the nature behind the love of the two. Aristotle writes, “… good people wish good to the beloved for his own sake in accord with their state.” (125) Good people wish good for others due to their good nature. This relationship is a friendship of loving and not being loved. The two …show more content…
Friendship has its own inherit justice. “The proverb ‘what friends have is common, is correct, since friendship involves community.” (129) Friendships are the base of community. They bring people together and solidify relationships of trust and happiness. Therefore, friendship also contains its own form of justice. Aristotle uses the example, “Similarly, what is unjust toward each of these is also different, and becomes more unjust as it is practiced on closer friends. It is more shocking, for instance, to rob a companion of money than to rob a fellow citizen, to fail to help a brother than a stranger, and to strike one’s father than anyone else.” This example is probably one of the most relatable account to the modern day from Nicomachean Ethics. It is easy for one to see how theft from a friend or family is one of the most disgusting acts in society. This is because a complete friendship has most likely been formed. And complete friendships are created through time, trust, and knowledge of the true being behind each friend. Hence, such a crime is the worst a friend can commit, the violation of trust and love. Aristotle points out that justice increases with the closeness of a friendship. For example, stealing from a stranger or unacquainted friend is merely wrong and frowned upon, but stealing from one’s mother is an act of disgust due to the closeness and nature of the friendship. These