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... ... middle of paper ... ...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.
Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics, Translated by Terence Irwin. Second Edition. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. 1999.
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.
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, Nicomachean Ethics. Rpt. in Ethical Theories: A Book of Readings second edition. Ed. A. I. Melden. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1967. 106-109.
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.
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
Aristotle. "Nicomachean Ethics." Classics of Moral and Political Theory. 3rd ed. Trans. Terence Irwin. Ed. Michael L. Morgan. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 2001.
Aristotle, W. D. Ross, and Lesley Brown. The Nicomachean Ethics. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2009. Print.
In Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, he thoroughly indicated a well-defined direction in order to achieve our true nature to which we seek happiness. For Aristotle, to be human means to be a rational animal who flourishes through reason to achieve the highest human good. To achieve happiness, one must li...
Gakuran, Michael. "Aristotle’s Moral Philosophy | Gakuranman • Adventure First." Gakuranman Adventure First RSS. N.p., 21 May 2008. Web.
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
Roth, John, et al. Ethics: Volume Two. California: Salem Press, Inc., 1994.Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, c. 350 B.C. Book VIII: Translated by W.D. Ross
Aristotle. "Nicomachean Ethics I." Voices of Ancient Philosophy. Ed. Julia Annas. New York: Oxford, 2001. 319-327. Print.
In studying friendship through the lense of philosophy and philosophers, specifically Aristotle and Grunebaum, there’s been a lot of discussion about the ‘how’s and ‘what’s and ‘why’s of friendship-- what is a perfect friendship, and what is it based on? Why are friendships that focus on pleasantness or usefulness imperfect? Why do we feel obligations to our friends that we don’t feel to other people? We’ve had these questions answered-- a perfect friendship is, according to Aristotle, one based on the ‘virtuous’ qualities of both people-- ‘virtuous’, in this context, meaning the balance, the middle ground between excess and deficit. Pleasant friendships are ones that are only fun, no content, and useful friendships are ones where the parties just use each other for their possessions. Grunebaum told us that people believe they are more obligated to be good to their friends, rather than strangers, because there is more risk involved in treating those close to you unfairly. However, a question still lingers: why, exactly, do we befriend who we do? No matter if the friendship is perfect, useful, or pleasant, there must be more behind it, right? What makes us decide that a person will be good to have in our lives? It comes down