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Aristotle three levels of friendship essay
Aristotle three levels of friendship essay
Aristotle On Friendships
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Aristotle argued in his book Nicomachean Ethics that “we praise those who love their friends” (Curzer, 2012). To him, there are three levels of friendship. These include friendships of utility, friendship for the sake of pleasure, and “perfect friendship” or friendship of virtue (Pangle, 2002). This paper shares my perspective on these three levels of friendship on whether they still apply in the contemporary life. In addition, the paper advances its discussion to share a personal reflection on whether the highest level of friendship is attainable, and if so, under what criteria.
The first level of friendship according to Aristotle is based on utility, where both parties derive some benefit from each other (Pangle, 2002). To him, this kind of utility friendship is shallow as it is “easily dissolved”. Aristotle uses the example of trade and claims that friendships based on utility are often found between opposite people, in order to maximize their trade.
The second level of friendship is based on pleasure, where both people are drawn to the other’s wit,
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Naturally, human beings are social beings and cannot live without friends. Friendship is an essential part of the structure of human existence. Today’s people are seeking and participating in relationships because they believe that it is good to have friends so as to experience pleasure, to be honored, to be healthy, and to prosper in life. Even in the inferior kind of friendships, people cooperate for the common advantage or pleasure. Irrespective of qualifications, career, personal perspectives, cultural differences, and interests, all people seek for love and acknowledgement from others (Curzer, 2012). This means that at a particular time, every individual will seek for a friendship, whether based on utility, pleasure, or even virtuous
Marion Winik’s “What Are Friends For?” expresses the characteristics of friendships and their importance in her existence. Winik begins by stating her theory of how some people can’t contribute as much to a friendship with their characteristic traits, while others can fulfill the friendship. She illustrates the eight friendships she has experienced, categorized as Buddies, Relative Friends, Work Friends, Faraway Friends, Former Friends, Friends You Love to Hate, Hero Friends, and New Friends. In like manner, the friendships that I have experienced agree and contradict with Winik’s categorizations.
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 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
Everyone in life develops at least one friendship in their lifetime, some stronger than others. In some cases a friend might ask for a favor that would be considered immoral. Cicero and Montaigne express their opinions toward this situation and how a true friend would act through the story of Blossius and Tiberius Gracchus. Both come to the same conclusion but they have different reasons as to why they hold that position.
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...)
As previously mentioned, Aristotle has identified three different types of friendships. The first is friendship based on utility. This is a friendship in which both parties become involved with each other for their own personal benefit. An example would be a working relationship with an individual. These are people who do not spend much time together, possibly because they do not like each other, and therefore feel no need to associate with one another unless they are mutually useful. They take pleasure from each other’s company just for their own sake. Aristotle uses the elderly and foreigners as examples of friendships based on utility.
II In Books VIII and IX, Aristotle discusses the role of friendship in the good life.
Aristotle believes that everyone is in need of some type of friend, he states that “for rich people and those who rule and have power, there seems to be the greatest need for friends.”(page. 144, book VIII) Aristotle believes that we as humans benefit greatly from having friends, no matter who we are or what position we are in wealthy or poor. There are three distinct types of friendship that Aristotle directs his beliefs towards. These three types of friendships include: Utility, pleasure, and Goodness or virtuous friendship. Aristotle believes that friendship is something that is extremely important to have and should be held above many things. Friendship Utility is unlike the friendships of pleasure or goodness because as Aristotle puts it is “for the old” he explains that friendship Utility is a friendship that two people may have where they only communicate with one another for self-benefit or to gain something for one’s self. These two people are not likely to live with each other and at times may not even be nice to th...
It is strange to label any friendship a success or a failure; it is stranger still to call the friendship between Achilleus and Patroklos a failure, especially when it has long been celebrated as one of the greatest friendships in antiquity. After all, friendship is called a success when friends remain just that, and a failure when they part ways with diffidence. How else could we possibly judge friendship? I suggest, however, that the good of the friend is the end of true friendship, and that this principle can guide critical inquiry into the nature of friendship. The basis of this statement is Aristotelian. The Nicomachean Ethics defines true friendship as the mutual appreciation of the intrinsic good in the other, and the desire to will the other’s good. The critique of true friendship, in Aristotelian terms, should consider not only whether the parties loved each other for their intrinsic good, but also the extent to which they were successful at promoting the good of the other. The tragedy of Achilleus and Patroklos is that, despite their love and desire to promote the good of the other, they may have ultimately failed. Their friendship may have failed not because of a lack of good will or capability, but because of the conflicting obligations placed upon that friendship by society, circumstance, and the unyielding character of Achilleus.
In actuality what are friends? Friends are individuals who are there for everything and make life worth living. In the article, “Friendship: The Laws of Attraction”, critic Karen Karbo proclaims friendships possess various correlations and factors which enable lasting relationships. There are many stages in which relationships have to experiences in order to enable it everlasting quality. The evolution from a common stranger to an acquaintance and finally to a best friend status requires many aspects to be developed within the relationships. The necessary components within any relationship consist of self-disclosure, reciprocity, intimacy, intuitive understanding, social-identity support, communication, supportiveness,
Philosophers have discussed and debated about friendship and the true meaning of being a friend to others; Aristotle has given requirements as well as qualities a friend possess 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. Many believe this to be true based off of Aristotle's point that a good man does not need friends as long as they are self sufficient and blessedly happy (63). Aristotle defends that theory by stating that a good man already has all his goods, which would make him self sufficient in itself and as long as the man is good than he does not need friendship. If a friendship were to emerge between a man who is happy and self sufficient and a man who is not, the friendship would falter because the good man does not benefit from the relationship.
Friendship expectations play a huge role in “establishing, maintaining, and terminating friendships” thus playing a factor of ones’ interpretations and through their affiliations (West & Turner, 2016). A companionship is dependent on
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.
Friendship is something that is an important part of life. It allows people to share good times and help get through the tough struggles of life. In the eighth book of the Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle describes that there are three different types of friendship. The first kind of friendship is based on how useful each person is to the other. The second is a friendship based pleasure, where both people enjoy the others jokes or other qualities that brings joy to the other. The third is friendship based on goodness where both people strive for the goodness and help each other become better people.
Most beautiful kindred of all of humans are the companionship. Without excitement, confusion, tangles and commitment life becomes a cake-walk if people have a hand of a friend to hold on. Can everyone imagine if there is no friendship in the world? Nobody will care about one another. Friends are the pillars of strength that give support and comfort in life "A hedge between keeps friendship green”. Friendship is the one of the medium that can build unity among community. As Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of United States, once said, “Friendship is the only cement that will hold the world together”, I strongly agree to his statement because friendship teach to help one another, learn to accept each other and build trust and faith towards each other.