Three Types of Friendship: Nicomachean Ethics

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Throughout our lives, we value many things. Whether it’s valuing family, a passion, or even priorities, we highly praise certain things. For now, let’s take friendship into consideration. Some individuals value friendship whereas others don’t. Those who value friendship value it because they turn to in order to seek shelter when there’s nowhere else to turn to. It is safe to say friendship is a significant part of our lives, and no individual can vouch for friendship like Greek philosopher, Aristotle. Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics delves into this idea of friendship being a necessity as well as conveying the three types of friendship he establishes. Friendship based on utility, pleasure, and virtue were thoroughly examined and ultimately, Aristotle developed a stance on the fact that friendship based on virtue is the one to attain. Subsequently, he provides a strong foundation for which he says friendship based on utility and pleasure are unstable friendships.
Before discussing the three types of friendships, Aristotle talks about the importance of acknowledging why he asserts friendship as a necessity. First off, Aristotle says friendship is a “state” (Nicomachean Ethics, Book 8) where there is mutual goodwill. The message he is trying to relay is that both individuals must share the same affection, and both must long for what is good for the other. The ability to distinguish what is good and wanting it to pave the way for the other being is the sentiment of mutual goodwill. Moving into this idea of friendship being a necessity, it is safe to say we rely immensely and often resort to them for numerous reasons. However, Aristotle claims friendship is a necessity because it “hold states together,” (Nicomachean Ethics Book 8). It...

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...ep the young out of mischief; they comfort and aid the old in their weakness, and they incite those in the prime of life to noble deeds ;”( Nicomachean Ethics) this couldn’t be any more true than it already is. During the tough times and bumpy roads throughout our lives are when we realize who our friends really are. After all, the friends that are there to shelter us and endure the negatives with us are when we realize we have a friendship based on virtue. Aristotle’s exemplification of the three types of friendships does give a clear distinction between an unstable and stable friendship. At the end of the day, a friendship based on virtue provides us with so much more and is a long term commitment, we can all depend on.

Works Cited

"The Internet Classics Archive | Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle." The Internet Classics Archive | Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle.

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