Aristotle elaborates on his idea of friendship, noting that a key feature of companionship is collaboration. For the young, friendships are a way of avoiding straying. Registered office: Venture House, Cross Street, Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG5 7PJ. The Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle is a great book, evryone one should read it because Aristotle manages to think of individual happiness in connection with the happiness of the city. Aristotle addresses the topic of friendship in Book 8 and 9 of his Nicomachean Ethics. His goal in the Ethics isnot to tell us that we ought to live happy, successful lives, butto tell us what this life consists of. Considering the three forms of friendships, it is true to say that bad men will always be friends for the sake of utility or pleasure, while good men will always be friends for their own sake, that is, for the virtue of their goodness. Typically, quarrels may result in this friendship only. To be friends, then, there is a need for feelings to be mutually recognized as wishes of goodwill to each other. In the deviation-forms of constitution, justice hardly exists; the same case applies to friendship. So, friendship can not flourish in the Republic, and conversely, only the Republic can give rise to true friendship. Aristotle turns to a discussion of friendship, which is itself a virtue, or … We've received widespread press coverage since 2003, Your UKEssays purchase is secure and we're rated 4.4/5 on reviews.co.uk. He asserts that if people stay friends, they do not have any need for justice, but if they maintain justice, they also need friendship in addition. In terms of justice, the friendship of the good is enough proof against slander. Aristotle supports this proposition by saying that this is the reason why most men love flattery; since the flatterer takes the position of inferiority in a friendship, or pretends to be such and to more be more loving than he is being loved. Aristotle addresses these questions on Friendship in Books 8 and 9 of his Nicomachean Ethics. The friendship that exists between the king and all his subjects is dependent on the benefits conferred, and Aristotle likens it to the friendship of the father to his son, the only difference being the greatness of all the benefits conferred. Anyone can share a belief with another person, but friends will be able to work together effectively to improve the world. Here, Aristotle describes the importance of friendship to decision-making. Here, Aristotle advocates for friendliness and civility even with people who are not our close friends. that friends are no threat at all to self-sufficiencyin his solution to the paradox of the happy man’s need for friends in NE 9.9 (and in 1.7 as commonly interpreted).7 A variety of strategies could be used either to alleviate or to ac-cept the tension in the Nicomachean Ethics between the apparently full Nicomachean Ethics is a philosophical inquiry into the nature of the good life for a human being. Each of these constitutions may involve friendship just as much as it involves justice. They do not perceive the use of all such prosperity without an opportunity of beneficence, which can only be exercised in its most laudable form towards friends. 1 For friendship is a virtue, 2 or involves virtue; and also it is one of the most indispensable requirements of life. Aristotle ventures into what appears like a contradiction when he says that claims of justice tend to differ. However, when they are just, they require justice as well. VAT Registration No: 842417633. Friendship is a virtue or at least involves virtue. *You can also browse our support articles here >. Aristotle makes the argument that friends can be regarded as second selves. His arguments make the concept of friendship to predominate that of justice. Nicomachean Ethics has been divided into the following sections: Book I [65k] Book II [50k] Book III [74k] Book IV [69k] Book V [74k] Book VI [55k] Book VII [78k] Book VIII [70k] Book IX [66k] Book X [71k] This idea feeds into Aristotle’s emphasis on the importance of politics to human life—the meeting of multiple minds to deliberate on how to increase the happiness of themselves and their community. The timeline below shows where the term Friendship appears in Nicomachean Ethics. Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? It is also thought to be a great thing to have many friends. In efforts to explain why the truest friendship is the one that one of the good, Aristotle argues that the friendship that is without qualification pleasant or good seems to be desirable or lovable. Aristotle makes the argument that friends can be regarded as second selves. In friendships or exchanges where each person receives a different benefit, it is important that both parties feel they are being justly treated. The only reason why such people communicate is for them to transact business. For without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods; even rich men and those in possession of This is because it is difficult to trust anyone except a man who has been tested by oneself. A person who seems disagreeable about everything will never progress very far, but a person who behaves in an ingratiating way to everybody, who tries to please everyone and cause no hurt, will ultimately cause damage to him/herself and others too. Start studying Three Types of Friendship - Nicomachean Ethics. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. In his view, true friendship is not defined by what people need or want from each other because those things are likely to change with time. “One swallow does not make a summer, neither does one fine day; similarly one day or brief time of … Other people can help us act virtuously by improving our ability to deliberate or, as defined by Aristotle, to contemplate matters in which we can take action. Aristotle completes the logical analysis by saying that in becoming a friend, a man ideally becomes good to his friends (129). In Book 8, Aristotle says that without friends, nobody would choose life. Aristotle's account of Friendship in the Nicomachean Ethics A. D. M. WALKER The Nicomachean Ethics, as is well known, distinguishes three types of friendship - the friendship of goodness, the friendship of pleasure, and the friendship of utility. In Aristotle’s view, in every form of friendship, there has to be some form of association. However, he makes his argument clear by giving examples of duties of parents to children, as well as those of brothers to each other, which he says are never the same. Millions of books are just a click away on BN.com and through our FREE NOOK reading apps. It is also more offensive to deny one’s brother assistance than to refuse to help a stranger. No form of justice can be said to have taken place in such engagements, regardless of the outcome of the bargaining process. In loving friends, men indicate their love for what is good for themselves. The same case applies to all other kinds of friendships that exist. In this sense, friendship is said to be similar to the concept of equality. Aristotle addresses the topic of friendship in Book 8 and 9 of his Nicomachean Ethics. It is on this basis that he indicates that when men are friends, they need justice. The best constitution, according to Aristotle, is monarchy, while the worst is timocracy. For instance, the friendship that exists between brothers and sisters is born out of a shared parentage and upbringing. He does not himself use either of these titles, although in the Politics (1295a36) he refers back to one of themprobably the Eudemian Ethicsas ta êthikahis writings about character. Men tend to wish well those they love, not because of a feeling, but as a result of a certain state of character. Of these three, only complete friendship is the real thing. This paper shows that the arguments that Aristotle makes in support of this assertion is convincing. Nicomachean Ethics By Aristotle Written 350 B.C.E Translated by W. D. Ross. Looking for a flexible role? Aristotle also carries the association debate even further, noting that friendships form the basis of humankind’s very existence. If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help! Aristotle describes how communities, which are a larger extension of friendship, can help a person live with virtue through the upholding of societal structure. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of UKEssays.com. In the least, friendship exists in its worst form, such that in a form of government such as tyranny, there is too little or no friendship at all. For instance, it sounds more offensive to defraud a comrade than to defraud a fellow citizen.