Nonetheless, Aristotle accepts that some friendship can be built on the qualification of pleasure and utility, however the expectation in these types of friendship differ. He proposes the friendship of pleasure somewhat resembling a virtuous friendship, because the individuals in these relationships aim to be pleasant to each other (123). However, it is satisfying the expected qualifications that make these friendships unstable, and unlike the virtuous friendship. Aristotle depicts this through the concept of the lover, and the beloved (123). The two agents have different expectations towards one-another. Insofar one of the individuals expect to receive pleasure, while the other gives it. Problematically, relationships based on the giving/receiving …show more content…
Aristotle quotes “they cannot know each other before they have shared their salt” (123). This quote refers to individuals sharing many meals together, which indicates a long duration of time that is spent between individuals. Only through time and experience, these individuals can fully develop a sense of confidence in each other. A common interest/factor can be a characteristic that creates the friendship, but time and experience is binds it together. Arguably, it is necessary friendships possess the quality of confidence, because it ensures we can rely on our friends. Aristotle would agree with this; however, Aristotle requires that fine friendships result from peers living with one-another. Arguably, this is not necessary. Firstly, if we were to accept Aristotle’s statement that friendship is founded through the similarity of virtues, arguably what is not generally similar could become problematic between the two agents. Secondly, it would be unhealthy for the relationship to excessively spend time with the same peer. This idea proposes that it is possible to have certain people in our lives in excess, similarly of how we could be excessive in the characteristic virtues. Arguably, the finer friendships are one’s where the agents, desire to spend time with their peer when they have been away from each other. This indicates there is a genuine desire to be with …show more content…
The similarity of virtue would draws an appeal between two agents, insofar there are similar interests the individuals can explore together would be far more pleasant. However, another method is that individuals are appealed to characteristics they themselves are deficient in. significantly, to find that intermediate, they seek out individuals who demonstrate those characteristics. Arguably, the case can be made for a courageous person who is deficient in a form of wit (A), who tries to achieve an intermediate of wit but is of no avail. Whereas there is person (B) who possesses that virtue of wit, but is deficient in courage and considered a coward. Arguably, these two individuals can become friends, because there is an appeal of the virtue they lack. A finds pleasure from the B, and the B finds utility and safety from A. Aristotle would argue this is a friendship formed from qualifications, where both agents are using each other for a certain end. However, this is different, because the friendship aims at satisfying the virtues they are deficient in. Additionally, as propose through time and experience, the agents will come to find pleasant characteristics that are aside from what they originally expected from their virtuous behavior. Significantly, once the two agents have gained confidence in one-another, the witty person (B) ought to
Friendship can be debated as both a blessing and a curse; as a necessary part of life to be happy or an unnecessary use of time. Friends can be a source of joy and support, they can be a constant stress and something that brings us down, or anywhere in between. In Book 9 of Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle discusses to great lengths what friendship is and how we should go about these relationships. In the short story “Melvin in the Sixth Grade” by Dana Johnson, we see the main character Avery’s struggle to find herself and also find friendship, as well as Melvin’s rejection of the notion that one must have friends.
Aristotle uses a rather categorical approach to friendship. By making strict delineations and then using examples, he establishes a rather strict definition of friendship that is created along lines of social class. He argues, among other things, that friendship must be between similarly virtuous men of equal standing. In addition, the purest form of friendship, and the one that Aristotle considers the only genuine friendship, involves that of two men and that is free from outside reciprocation.
Late one evening, curled up in her nest, Harriet lay thoughtfully reading the last of Aristotle’s model of friendships: the perfect friendship. Though no secret to Harriet, Aristotle presents the idea that it is the most desirable and genuine of the three forms. The foundation of this friendship is not trivial, but instead the relationship is built on a common good and virtuous nature. As Aristotle explains, “those who love for the sake of utility love for the sake of what is good for themselves, and those who love for the sake of pleasure do so for the sake of what is pleasant to themselves.” Aristotle continues, “Perfect friendship is the friendship of men who are good, and alike in virtue; for those wish well alike to each other qua good, and they are good in themselves.” (concluding sentence or two...)
The second type of friendship is a friendship based on pleasure. This friendship is made between two people that wish to gain pleasure from one another. Aristotle uses the young as an example here. Friendship between the young is grounded on pleasure because the lives of the young are regulated by their feelings, and their main interest is in their own pleasure and the opportunity of the moment. They are quick to create and destroy friendships because their affection changes as fast as the things that please them do. Aristotle felt that this sort of pleasure changes rapidly. The young also have a tendency to fall in love, thus creating an erotic friendship which is swayed by the feelings and based on pleasure.
In his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle works to foster a more precise understanding of complex ideas including justice and friendship. Of course, he assigns varying levels of importance to qualities depending on how necessary they are to becoming a happy and self-sufficient individual, which he sees as the ultimate aim for human beings. As such, he seems to create a hierarchical structure in which aspects that push an individual closer to happiness are effectively superior to those which do not. Yet, as he develops the ideas of friendship and justice more, dividing them into their constituent categories, the hierarchy between them begins to become more obscured, suggesting that, rather than the two existing in service of one or the other, the
Conclusively, the similarities of friendship and virtue allow the two states to correspond with one another in a happy life. The purpose of friendship is not only to coexist with virtue but also, by the actions of friends, virtue and friendship strengthen one another, making happiness all the more easy to attain because of it. Aristotle sums it up nicely, by saying “the friendship of decent people is decent, and increases the more often they meet. And they seem to become better still from their activities and their mutual correction. For each molds the other in a what they approve of, so that you will learn what is noble from noble people (1172a11-14).”
Friendship is a bond that brings society together as a whole. The article, “Friendship in an Age of Economics” by Todd May describes six friendships that pertain to life. In the Of Mice and Men excerpt, the reader meets two characters, George and Lennie, and their friendship is shown. Of the six friendships, in “Friendship in an Age of Economics,” the true friendship, developed by Aristotle, is used in Of Mice and Men through George and Lennie’s relationship because of how they act towards each other, and how they take care of one another in many different ways. First, the article introduces the audience to friendships described by Aristotle, and Todd May.
Friendship is not something that has adapted over time. The desire to seek out and surround ourselves with other human beings, our friends, is in our nature. Philosophers such as Aristotle infer that friendship is a kind of virtue, or implies virtue, and is necessary for living. Nobody would ever choose to live without friends, even if we had all the other good things. The relationship between two very different young boys, Bruno and Shmuel’s in the film The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is an example of the everlasting bond of a perfect friendship based upon the goodness of each other.
Philosophers have discuss and debate about friendship and the true meaning to be a friend to others Aristotle have given requirements as well as qualities a friend possession within different types of friendships. He debates that a good man does not need friends but the points he brings up proves that a good man can not live a pleasant life in solitary.
An example is when they are at the construction site and he says to Will:” you have got something none of us has...It would be an insult to us if you were here in 20 years.” This is a good example of virtuous friendship according to Aristotle. He describes it as a friendship in which people wish good for each other for the sake of both of them. He continues saying that this friendship is hard to find , but that it lasts longer than all the others. I absolutely agree with Aristotle. Most people nowadays want to become the best and always look for opportunities to make themselves great. Will’s best friend is one of a kind. He is never jealous of his friend receiving job offers, and really tries hard to make him understand that he want Will to become a good and respectable person. Chuckie knows that he is not expecting anything from Will, but he still pushes him to leave and start a new life. It can be deduced from this that virtuous friendship is really satisfying. I also believe that Aristotle would have placed this relationship under virtue
Aristotle regards Virtue Friendship as perfect. He does not comment on the potential negatives, whereas Lewis more realistically presents possible dangers of his highest form of friendship. Lewis believes that the birth of friendship proper from companionship reveals friendship’s dark and idolatrous side. Lewis comments on the sense of inclusiveness between friends that can create an “us/them” tension that can be potentially dangerous. He believes there is danger in the sense that a partial indifference or deafness to the voices of the outside world may develop and morph into dangerous perversions of
Aristotle believed that a key factor of happiness was friendship. “Without friends, no one would want to live, even if he had all other goods” (Aristotle). In this quote Aristotle explains that if someone has no friends or no genuine friends, they are more likely to be depressed. Even if they live a fulfilling life filled with blessings, if a person has no friends that cannot be truly happy. Aristotle believed in three types of friendship, and if any friendship is based of anything but virtue, it is not a true friendship. If it is based off of pleasure or usefulness it isn't a true friendship. It isn’t genuine if you base a friendship off of how useful or convenient a friend is to you. To have a real friendship it must be based of virtue and ethics. Aristotle created the term nicomachean ethics which is a philosophical inquiry into the
When the usefulness diminishes, the friendship will halt. Aristotle refers to such kind of friendship as circumstantial and short-lived. Similarly, young people are very ambitious and explorative (Rawson, 57).They tend to form friendship due to pleasure activities. Their primary motivation arises from the need to satisfy their feelings of pleasure. However, Aristotle notes, which in most cases, the feelings are bound to change are reducing to nil.
We do not make friends because they are useful but the bond of friendship, once it grows stronger and stronger has a number of positive aspects. There are certain secrets that can only be shared with our friends only. When we are facing a difficult situation in our lives, only true friends come forward to help us overcome all the difficulties.
Aristotle discusses that a person with good character has virtue. These virtuous characteristics only come from experience, training, and the ability of always doing good. One of the virtues that Aristotle talks about which deal with the social virtues is the virtue of Friendliness. Friendliness deals with treating everyone equally and with the thought of good in mind when it comes to friends, enemies, old acquaintances, and family. I think that one of the major issues that Aristotle talks about is the meaning of happiness. A good definition of friendliness that I came up with is the transferring of one's happiness to another. Friendliness is all about passing on a part of your happiness to someone that you meet. A good example of this is when you are walking some where and you pass someone that you don't even know ...