The Human Function Argument

The Human Function Argument

Aristotle argues that the human function is activity of the soul that expresses or requires reason. This argument is found in Nicomachean Ethics approximately between Bekker lines 1097b24 and 1098a9.

1. Humans must have a function, or else they would be idle, which is absurd. Aristotle directly asks the reader if humans might have no important overall function other than a chosen occupation in society but suggests that this would not be expected of nature. Terence Irwin used the word idle in his 1985 translation when phrasing this disjunct of Aristotle?s question.

2. Each human body part has a function, so the whole human must likewise have a function. This premise appears parallel to Aristotle?s argument that many goods serve higher goods within a hierarchy (1094a10). Aristotle is invoking the concept a hierarchy to consider functions of body parts. Each part has a function that serves a larger part with a different function, and so it seems that the largest unit, the human body itself, must have a function.

3. The human function is unique to only humans themselves. Aristotle does not seem to consider that unique human features could simply be superfluous; he simply states as a goal that he is looking for a unique function.

4. Human function is not growth and nutrition because these aspects of life are shared with plants. It is sensible to make this exclusion if one accepts the third premise.

5. Human function is not sense perception because this aspect of life is shared with animals. Fulfilling a function like this would constitute a life of gratification, which Aristotle rejected earlier (1095b16).

6. The part of the human soul with reason is unique to humans. This is simply...

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...unction argument points out its inadequacy to stand alone since the argument provides little evidence for some of its premises and rests only on certain common beliefs without making a strong connection to the supporting evidence.

Bibliography

Aristotle. "Nicomachean Ethics." Classics of Moral and Political Theory. 3rd ed. Trans. Terence Irwin. Ed. Michael L. Morgan. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 2001.

Aristotle. "Nicomachean Ethics." The Internet Classics Archive. Trans. W. D. Ross. [sic].

Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics. Trans. Terence Irwin. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1985.

Aristotle. Politics. Trans. C. D. C. Reeve. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1998.

Plato. Protagoras. Trans. Stanley Lombardo and Karen Bell. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1992.