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This could consist of platonic pleasure or erotic pleasure. Because this, like Utilitarian Friendships, is based on superficial foundations, it does not stand the test of time. The final way to Friendship is through a true "goodness of character." Aristotle believed that all human beings have a capacity for goodness of character; yet it takes practice and effort to reach a respectable level of moral integrity. Friendships based on good character represent a friendship where nothing is needed by any party; the two remain friends simply because love the Friendship itself.
Another conceit made by Aristotle in his Nichomachean Ethics is the concept that Friendship and Justice are intertwined. According to this theory, any political leader must engage in a friendship with his or her larger external community. Any politician wants the power of his or her office, which is only gained through a successful friendship with the people resulting in his or her being elected into office. The community as a whole also desires certain objectives as a result of allowing the politician to enter into the friendship. A politician is also dependent on the flourishing friendships of the individuals within the larger community. If people are not getting what they want out of their various friendships, a dangerous situation of discontent could be brewing....
According to Aristotle, Justice is also an important tool in the implementation of the Virtues. Virtues, as representative of the means of life, that of moderation rather than either excess or complete lack there of, serve as important guidance tools to formulate laws and legislation. By sticking to what we know is right in terms of its moderation and moral value, we ensure that our laws aim to provide a balance within society which would then help provide a fruitful environment for those questing for Happiness. Justice then proves to be an important piece in the larger context of our search for the ultimate end.
Although Aristotle's reasoning is now thousands of years old, one can see through analyzing it that it still works in today's modern context. This based on the validity and fluidity of the construction of his arguments. They are practically understood when referenced to how we really interact and live. His idea of finding Happiness as the ultimate end does make sense when brought into any situation. Therefore, his extensive discussion of things such as Happiness, Pleasure, Friendship and Justice provide a model for each individual to in take use to find their own happiness -- "To this let us know proceed," (Aristotle, 199).
Works Cited
Aristotle. Nichomachean Ethics. Dover Publications. 1998.
Works Cited
Aristotle. Nichomachean Ethics. Dover Publications. 1998.
When reading Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics people typically maintain emphasis on the position of role of habit in conduct. Virtues or habits according to Aristotle are necessary for a ‘good life’ and that mindless routine is a way to achieve happiness. While the interpretation of Aristotle’s texts may denote to many ‘mindless routine’, in reality it could mean ‘actively hold itself’. This mean essentially, that the manifestation of virtue is in
Aristotle is inclined to view human interaction as something which incites one to desire the happiness of his relational partner as the chief end of the relationship. This is a point which is absolutely essential to the conception of goodness which Aristotle holds as most valuable. He identifies a self-love, as it were, as one of the most important elements in forging a meaningful and positive relationship to the
Aristotle At the very beginning of Book I Chapter XIII, Aristotle states that "happiness is a certain activity of soul in conformity with perfect virtue" (Ethics 1102a). What he means here, quite simply, is that true happiness can only be defined as the state that is achieved in a perfectly virtuous person; it cannot be defined any other way -- not by pleasure, or bestowed honor, or wealth, or any other
Aristotle and a Great Workplace (APA Citation) Aristotle and a Great Workplace From the beginning of its evolution, human beings have been searching for the meaning of happiness. While many may seem this to be an inconsequential questions, others have devoted entire lives to the search for happiness. One such person who devoted a great deal of thought to the question of man's happiness was the famous ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle. His
Aristotle differentiated friendships of pleasure from friendships of utility by virtue of the fact that the former are based on preferences and shared interests whereas the latter are based on specific needs that exist irrespective of preferences and interests. For example, the friendship between shopkeepers and their customers is based on a reciprocal need: the shopkeeper has a need for the patronage of the customer to support himself and
Politics is a subject intrinsically linked to philosophy because the way men organize and conduct themselves socially and economically affects their ability and desire to use philosophy as a guiding principle. Aristotle and Hegel both shared strong views on the importance and use of the concept of "the state" as a tool to affect the safety and well-being of the individual man. Aristotle published two famous works that addressed politics