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The nature of friendship
The strengths and weaknesses in aristotle nicomachean ethics book one
Types of friendship by aristotle
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Recommended: The nature of friendship
In Aristotle’s The Nicomachean Ethics, he explicates the basic principles of friendship. However, he does not only explain friendship between two people. Aristotle delves further into the topic and sheds light on “intrapersonal” friendship – friendship with oneself. Although this idea of comprehending the relationship people have with their own selves might seem intricate and hard to understand, Aristotle applies the same principles of interpersonal friendship to the kind of friendship people have with themselves. By distinguishing which type of friendship internal friendship belongs to, defining what a friend is, and attributing that definition to both good men and bad men, Aristotle relates friendship to self-love.
Earlier in The Nicomachean Ethics, specifically in Book VIII, Aristotle states that friendship is threefold. There are three types of friendship which deal with three different concepts: utility, pleasure, and goodness. The first kind is where both parties essentially use each other for material goods. In this case, the two people do not love each other, but only love the profit they benefit from. The second kind is friendship of pleasure, where both entities enjoy the other’s qualities, such as intelligence, appearance, etc. Finally, there is the friendship of goodness. This friendship is said to be the most true and perfect. In this relationship, both individuals admire each other’s goodness and desire goodness for one another. One might ask, where does internal friendship fit into this threefold system? This can be figured out through a process of elimination. First, one must divide this person into two entities: the person and themselves. Immediately, we can eradicate the friendship of utility, for the person ca...
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... opposite of these good things. For example, given the type of friendship that is associated with internal friendship, a bad man cannot be friends with himself. Evidently, a bad man does not do good things and cannot desire good things for himself.
This being said, friendship is based on self-love. The friendship of the goodness deals with love since people who love each other want wants best for the other person. Therefore, a good man will ultimately love himself since he desires what is good for himself, as stated earlier. On the other hand, a bad person cannot love himself because he cannot be friends with himself. It seems to be that friendship is directly correlated to love. Therefore, internal friendship corresponds with self-love, meaning that in order to be friends with oneself, you must also love oneself.
Works Cited
The 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 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.
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In Books VIII and IX of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, the normative concept of friendship is precisely defined and separated into various categories of which Socrates’ and Alcibiades’ relationship can be ascribed to. To achieve this endeavor, one will need to understand Aristotle’s notion of perfect friendship based on reciprocal goodwill and virtue, and imperfect friendship based on utility and pleasure. By applying these evaluative aspects according to Socrates’ and Alcibiades’ characteristics and disposition in pursuing a friendship, the categories of their friendships are well elucidated. The friendship that Alcibiades seeks to obtain is that of erotic pleasure, while Socrates shows qualities that reflect a perfect kind, allowing this relationship to be asymmetrical.
When looking at the three types of friendship that Aristotle says exist it does appear quite clearly as to which one is the best overall. Aristotle says that virtue is what makes a friendship so great, the participants within the friendship bring out the goodness in each other as well as mutual recognition. These components of a virtuous friendship are why it makes it the best kind of friendship there is.
Lewis believes that friendship is defined by the similar value of a truth while Goodrich believes that it is based solely on similarity of self. Goodrich agrees with the idea of friends choosing one another, but only to an extent because he believes that subconscious forces may be at work. They both agree on the presence of a spiritual aspect of friendship and the . Goodrich would say it is the combination of both parties creating a stronger unified spirit while Lewis would argue that it is just the betterment of the individuals. Lewis would disagree with Goodrich’s ideas that friendship is hard to identify, but would agree of friendship going beyond this realm of
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
In Book I of Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle states that the ultimate human goal or end is happiness. Aristotle then describes steps required for humans to obtain the ultimate happiness. He also states that activity is an important requirement of happiness. A virtuous person takes pleasure in doing virtuous things. He then goes on to say that living a life of virtue is something pleasurable in itself. The role of virtue to Aristotle is an important one, with out it, it seems humans cannot obtain happiness. Virtue is the connection one has to happiness and how they should obtain it. My goal in this paper is to connect Aristotle’s book of Nicomachean Ethics to my own reasoning of self-ethics. I strongly agree with Aristotle’s goal of happiness and conclude to his idea of virtues, which are virtuous states of character that affect our decision making in life.
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 reached their goal and to wish the best outcome. If a good and self sufficient man were to develop a friendship, they may see the flaws that they themselves may not see. But not only will a good man see any flaws or things to work on in his friend, but the excellent person who also has friends can embrace the qualities that make him virtuous through his friends. This is because it is easier to view someone’s best or worst qualities through someone else’s eyes than for them to view their own.
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 presents his view of the mutual desire for good in others, or Friendship in his work, The Nicomachean Ethics. He asserts that friendship comes in three types, Virtue Friendship, Use Friendship, and Pleasure Friendship. He distinguishes Virtue Friendship as the perfect friendship, leaving Use Friendship and Pleasure friendship as deficient friendships. C.S. Lewis presents his view of friendship, which is motivated by appreciation love, in his book The Four Loves in a manner seeming to correspond to Aristotle’s concept of Virtue Friendship. Lewis also presents his perception of Companionship, which seems to correspond to Aristotle’s notion of Use and Pleasure Friendships. Lewis presents a more modern and seemingly accurate rehabilitation
Selfless friendships do not exist, the only friendships that will last contently, and without resentment must benefit both parties in some way. If the relationship is parasitic, and only one person involved is benefitting, then eventually there will be resentment and one or both persons involved will opt to end the friendship. In Shakespeare's Timon of Athens, this is most notably seen in the character of Timons, who gives all of his friends gifts and holds feasts for them, but recieves nothing in return when he needs it the most. Eventually, Timon realized his friends were false and lost hope in all mankind, when he was once a very generous, selfless friend. In the same respect, if no one is recieving anything from the friendship, the friendship does not exist. Apemantus' and Timon's relationship appears this way, as they seem to share a bond, but are never friends. Apemantus does not appear to be friends with anyone within the play, because of his belief that friendship should be selfless. The only true friendship in Timon of Athens is between Timon and Flavius, his steward. Even though Timon calls Flavius selfless, they both recieve physical gifts from each other, and there is no selfless exchange of affection.
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.