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.
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 wrote on many subjects in his lifetime but one of the virtues that he examines more extensively is friendship. Aristotle believes that there are three different kinds of friendship: utility, pleasure, and virtuous friendships. He also argues that a real friendship should be highly valued because it is a complete virtue and he believes it to be greater than honor and justice. Aristotle suggests that human’s love of utility and pleasure is the only reason why the first two types of friendships exist. Aristotle also argues that humans only set up these types of relationships for personal gain. But when he speaks of the virtuous friendships, Aristotle states that it is one of the greatest attainments one can achieve.
Aristotle argues that friendship is a vital part of life. It serves not only as a means to bond individuals together, but also a necessity in achieving overall happiness. Aristotle comments on the various types of friendships that exist, and the role they each play in society. He explains three overarching types; utility, pleasure, and complete friendship. Yet, with family, friendship is different than it is with companionship. As Aristotle states in his piece, Nicomachean Ethics on friendship in families, “they all seem to depend on paternal friendship” (Aristotle, 1161b18). In The Aeneid, Aeneas and Anchises’ relationship, perfectly embodies this. The father son bond does not distinctly resemble one of the three types, rather it is a friendship in of itself; a paternal friendship.
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
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...)
Aristotle considers friendship to be a necessity to live. He claims that no individual would chose to live without friends even if the individual had all of the other good things in life. He also describes friendship as a virtue and as just. Given the above statements on friendship, it is safe to say that Aristotle felt that friendship is something that every human must have in order to reach a peaceful state of mind. It has all of the qualities of good as long as both parties of a friendship are considered good. Therefore, the role of friendship in a society is to promote goodness between all parties involved in it.
Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics discusses virtue as a disposition to act in a manner that is a mean between excess and deficiency. In the following, friendship will be shown to be a virtue by explaining the different kinds of friendship. Beginning by understanding what a virtue is for Aristotle will show that friendship is a desirable state of character and help prove it is a virtue. By contemplating the value of friendship and it’s importance to the moral good of human action, the paper will show that friendship is a virtue. Reflecting upon these topics will finally point to the fact that friendship is a virtue.
This viewpoint differs from Aristotle’s ideas on friendship. He believed the key principles were pleasure, utility, and virtue. Augustine saw friendship as a negative aspect of life whereas, Aristotle saw it as an essential part of life. Lauren Pangle, author of Aristotle and the Philosophy of Friendship, regards friendship as, “both necessary and noble, and the ways in which the necessity and nobility of friendship are intertwined.” The need for friendship is defined as “rich and broad” including “the needs not only for survival but also for natural fulfillment.” Aristotle argues that friendship is good for us and makes us content. While on the other hand, Augustine believes friendship is a destructive concept that leads people to
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
To achieve this topic, I have sectioned my paper into three main sections, in which I have subsections supporting. In the first section, I will provide much information about Aristotle and his beliefs in virtue and obtaining happiness. Using information from his book of ethics I will provide examples and quote on quote statements to support his views. In the second section, I will provide my agreements as to why I relate and very fond of Aristotle’s book of Nicomachean Ethics. In the third section, I will provide research as to why there are such objections to Aristotle’s book of ethics, and counter act as to why I disagree with them. Lastly I will conclude much of my and as well as Aristotle’s views on ethics and why I so strongly agree with this route of ethics for humans.
First, the article introduces the audience to friendships described by Aristotle, and Todd May. In the text it states, “It is threatened when we are encouraged to look up on those
On page 63 of Nicomachean Ethics Book 9, he states that it is absurd for an excellent man to not be granted a friend because friends may be the greatest external good. In defense of this, life would seem uneventful or lonely if someone did not have another to turn to either in most joyous times or the darkest of times. He goes on by asking whether friends are needed more in best or worst times of life , “ a question about weather friends are needed more in good fortune than in ill-fortune; for it is assumed that in ill-fortune we need people to benefit us, and in good fortune we need others for us to benefit” (63). Interpreting what Aristotle has stated, a friend will be there to praise your accomplishments and push you further in life, or he is able to encourage you and motivate you when you are distressed from an event that would be considered unpleasant. There is not envy in the eyes of a friend when a good man raises above expectations nor is there a hidden excitement when a good man fails; A requirement of a friend is to not be envious of a fellow friend but to be happy that your friend has reach their goal and to wishes the best
II In Books VIII and IX, Aristotle discusses the role of friendship in the good life.
Aristotle. The Nicomachean Ethics. David Ross, trans. J. L. Ackrill and J. O. Urmson, revisions. Oxford World’s Classics paperback, 1998.
Aristotle identifies the existence of three different kinds of friendships that are founded on the basis of either utility, pleasure or goodness. He views pleasure and utility to not be as binding compared to what he regards as complete friendship based on character, because in the latter the social bond is more fragile as it is founded upon vested interests compared to enduring virtues of character in a complete friendship. Aristotle further discusses that although a good person seems to have no apparent need for friends, they cannot lead a fulfilling life without friendship. I support Aristotle’s argument and will approach the matter from a different angle by explaining the importance of friendship in making us connected with the world. Additionally,