Michael pakaluk presents the first systematic study in english of these books, showing how important aristotles treatment of friendship is to his ethics as a whole. Essay about aristotles three categories of friendships. Perfect friendship is the friendship of men who are good, and alike in virtue. After what we have said, a discussion of friendship would naturally follow, since it is a virtue or implies virtue, and is besides most necessary with a view to living. Because friendship involves some sort of life shared in common, we can say that friendship involves community. In this video, professor thorsby discusses aristotles nicomachean ethics book viii. The annenberg cpbproject provided support for entering this text. The perfect friendship, according to aristotle forge. In book viii of the nichomachean ethics, aristotle discusses three types of friendship. For no one would choose to live without friends, but possessing all other good things.
Because people who give in to vice lack the firmness of virtue, their friendships dont have the enduring quality of true. Nicomachean ethics study guide contains a biography of aristotle, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Ross book viii 1 after what we have said, a discussion of friendship would naturally follow, since it is a virtue or implies virtue, and is besides most necessary with a view to living. Aristotle on friendship book 8 of the nicomachean ethics february 7, 2011 february 20, 2011 neel burton after what we have said, a discussion of friendship would naturally follow, since it is a virtue or implies virtue, and is besides most necessary with a view to living. Michael pakaluk presents the first systematic study in english of these books, showing how important aristotle s treatment of friendship is to his ethics as a whole.
In practice aristotle explains that people tend more by nature towards pleasures, and therefore see virtues as being relatively closer to the less obviously pleasant extremes. The nicomachean ethics of friendship based on utility. What popular views concerning friendship philia does aristotle cite. Ethics, books 8, 9 thomas aquinas, peter conway on.
Aristotle once again emphasizes that similarity in virtue is essential for longlasting friendship. Philia is the emotional bond between human beings which provides the basis for all forms of social organization, common effort, and personal. Friendship, then, is more about loving than being loved, and loving is the virtue of friends. In books viii and ix of his masterpiece of moral philosophy, the nicomachean ethics, aristotle gives perhaps the most famous of all philosophical discussions of friendship. He notes that friendship seems to be a naturally desirable thing among humans as well as among other animals of the same species. Since this electronic version of the text does not have bekker numbers the marginal numbers found in most scholarly printed versions of aristotle s texts you should not use it for writing a paper. In poverty, too, and in other misfortunes, people think friends are the only resort. Friendshipwhich aristotle understands in a broader sense than mere affectionate bonds it pertains to relationships between fellow citizens, for. The internet classics archive nicomachean ethics by. Friendship in these two books, aristotle talked about friendship. Aristotle s book viii by setting some ground work on friendship 1198 words 5 pages. In book viii of nicomachean ethics, he clearly distinguishes three different kinds of friendships that people encounter in life. Summary section 1 this section continues aristotle s discussion of friendship.
Friends are a refuge in times of poverty and misfortune, they help to guard the young from error, they help the old in their weakness, and help those in the prime of life to perform noble actions. Aristotle explains that friendship is something that is indispensable for life. Friendship was, in aristotle s opinion, one of the most important achievements in the lives of good people. The incontinent, the continent, the naturally virtuous, and the properly virtuous. He does not require that extensive argument be given for friendships centrality to human nature, noting only that is so basic to both our earliest bonds to our mothers and our most civilized and highly developed political. Unless you have another assignment within this text, heres what to do. Friendship and moral failure in aristotles ethics oxford. Aristotles account of friendship in the nicomachean ethics jstor. As with all of aristotles virtues, philia is the midway point. Argumentative essay on aristotle s views on friendship in.
Sep 30, 2017 in book viii of this work he defines three sorts of friendships, and one virtue of friendship, philia or brotherly love. Our next business after this will be to discuss friendship. Summary section 1 this section continues aristotles discussion of friendship. Characterize the three types of friendship aristotle introduces in a solid sentence each. Aristotle on friendship based on virtue nicomachean ethics. Aristotle and the art of friendship classical wisdom weekly. Plato and aristotle both give an important place to friendship in the good life. Friendship was, in aristotles opinion, one of the most important achievements in the lives of good people. Nicomachean ethics book viii by aristotle written 350 b. Nicomachean ethics book eight summary and analysis.
Aristotle begins a lengthy discussion of friendship that will take up the next two major sections of the work. Now here a common measure has been provided in the form of money, and therefore everything is. Justice in friendship ne viiiix oxford scholarship. He explains what is necessary for complete friendship to exist, including the need for friends to live together in order to see what is lovable in each other and to become more alike. Aristotle classifies friendship as a state rather than a feeling. Start studying christian ethics aristotle book v, viii, ix, and x. For concord would seem to be similar to friendship and they aim at concord among all, while they try above all to expel civil conflict, which is enmity. This is all about friendship, which aristotle first defines and then breaks down into three types. This book is refreshingly free of presuppositions that would get in the way of understanding aristotle. Aristotle on friendship based on virtue nicomachean.
There are therefore three kinds of friendship, equal in number to the things that are lovable. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of nicomachean ethics and what it means. True friends wish good to each other regardless of their personal feelings or emotions. Jan 24, 2018 i researched and read about the nicomachean ethics of friendship. In this first level of friendship, people expect to derive some benefit from each other. The reciprocal loving needed for friendship requires decision, and decision comes from a state not from an emotion. The degree of shared life, and what is just or unjust, varies among different sorts of friends. What puzzle about friendship is mentioned at 1155a34b7. Christian ethics aristotle book v, viii, ix, and x. It is clear from aristotle s writings that he believes that friendship is a necessary part of achieving happiness and should be highly valued. The topic of primary friendship virtue friendship, character friendship in aristotle has been in need of a booklength treatment, and in particular of a treatment that goes beyond the obviously relevant texts in nicomachean ethics viiiix. The last of aristotles three types of friendship is the ideal one.
Moreover, friendship would seem to hold cities together, and legislators would seem to be more concerned about it than about justice. The state of friendship distinguished from the activity of friendship and from the feeling of friendliness. We surround ourselves with other human beings, our friends. Sep 30, 2017 in this video, professor thorsby discusses aristotle s nicomachean ethics book viii. This video focuses on aristotles work, the nicomachean ethics, and examines his discussion in book 8 about the most paradigmatic but also least common form of friendship philia that oriented. Chapter iii cliffsnotes study guides book summaries, test. Aristotle on friendship outline of book viii of the nicomachean ethics. Nicomachean ethics by aristotle, part of the internet classics archive. This book centers the discussion on the topic of friendship. Nicomachean ethics book viii classical wisdom weekly. Philia, the greek word usually translated as friendship has a much more comprehensive meaning than its english equivalent, as will be seen in the discussion which follows in books viii and ix. Chapter xiii the mutual obligations of equal friends summary as already stated, there are three forms of friendship, each of which is divided into two kinds, that between equals and that between unequals.
Aristotle relates the three types of friendship not by appeal either to the notion of analogical. It is necessary to life, since no one would choose to live without friends even if he had all other material goods. Books viii and ix clarendon aristotle series 9780198751045. Nicomachean ethics by aristotle the internet classics archive. Chapter iii the three kinds of friendship summary there are three varieties of friendship, corresponding to the three objects of affection. If you wish to write a paper on aristotles theory of friendship you should. Not one person chooses to not have friends, therefore, it something that involves everyone. A summary of book viii in aristotle s nicomachean ethics. He begins by discussing friends with different aims, where proportion equalizes and preserves the friendship like proportionate worth in goods and services keeps political friendships or economies of exchange together. The second is friendship based on pleasure, where both people are drawn to the others wit, good.
The internet classics archive nicomachean ethics by aristotle. Since this electronic version of the text does not have bekker numbers the marginal numbers found in most scholarly printed versions of aristotles texts you should not use it for writing a paper. In this book we have a continuation of the discussion concerning friendship which occupied the greater portion of book viii. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Aristotles high regard for friendship can be seen in the way he guards against that type of relationship which is based on selfish and ignoble motives. Instead, you truly appreciate the other person for who they are. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Its the most solid kind and the rarest but its still possible. Friendship benefits the young by keeping them from making mistakes, and the old. Between sour and elderly people friendship arises less readily, inasmuch as they are less goodtempered and enjoy companionship less. Nov, 2016 this video focuses on aristotle s work, the nicomachean ethics, and examines his discussion in book 8 about the most paradigmatic but also least common form of friendship philia that oriented. A summary of book ix in aristotle s nicomachean ethics. In book viii of this work he defines three sorts of friendships, and one virtue of friendship, philia or brotherly love.
Its a friendship that goes beyond utility or pleasure. Argumentative essay on aristotle s views on friendship in books viii and ix. We are constantly trying to broaden the circumference of our circle of friends. But the nicomachean ethics only discusses the sense of shame at that point, and not righteous indignation which is however discussed in the eudemian ethics book viii. He started by stating what the three different types of friendship are. To aristotle, friendship and justice are about the same things and are found in the same people. Chapter summary for aristotles nicomachean ethics, book 8 summary. Friendship is a virtue or at least involves virtue. I researched and read about the nicomachean ethics of friendship. Purchase a copy of this text not necessarily the same edition from. Aristotle opens his account of in book viii with a brief statement of its essentiality. May 04, 2015 moreover, friendship would seem to hold cities together, and legislators would seem to be more concerned about it than about justice.
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