In fact, his many, many many theories about human happiness would fill about a bajillion scrolls worth of lecture notesand become the raw material for his nicomachean ethics. Aristotles nichomachean ethics begins with a simple premise, which is that everyone wants to be happy. The internet classics archive nicomachean ethics by. And aristotle pondered this question long and hard. The nicomachean ethics, frequently referred to as the ethics or aristotles ethics, is aristotles bestknown work on ethics and is one of the most influential works in western moral theory.
Pleasure is discussed in several parts of the nicomachean ethics and in this particular book attention is directed to the specific ways in which pleasure may influence the course of human conduct. Though written more than 2,000 years ago, it offers the modern reader many valuable insights into human needs and conduct. The book is an ideal size to slip into your library without taking up too much bulk. Need help with book 8 in aristotles nicomachean ethics. The nicomachean ethics by aristotle is the most influential book of the moral philosophy.
Get free homework help on aristotles nicomachean ethics. Aristotles nicomachean ethics book 10 flashcards quizlet. Aristotle reminds the reader that the soul has two main parts. Aristotle feels individuals and communities are inseparable, whether the community is a family, a tribe, or a city. Having said this, aristotle cant end his discussion here, because it isnt enough to study virtue, but to act on what one has learned. Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the book by reading these key quotes. Temperance consists of not giving in too easily to the pleasures of physical sensation. Among its most outstanding features are aristotle s. Get ready to write your essay on nicomachean ethics. Lets back up a minute and make sure we understand each other. This seems to be so because it is a first principle or ultimate starting point. A summary tommy maranges look, bros dont do shit for no reason.
In addition, most of these activities are not the main. Principles of philosophy, masterworks series volume 1 by s. Sometimes we want to get rich, sometimes we want to get laid, whatever. Therefore, the goal or end of human activity is the highest good for man. Platos pupil and alexander the greats tutor, aristotle set forth concepts that continue to guide understanding of human nature. There are as many kinds of ends as there are kinds of activity and the ends may vary, depending on the particular activity being studied e. Start studying aristotle s nicomachean ethics book 10. Books by aristotle author of the nicomachean ethics. Aristotle views ethics as a necessary part of political science.
Both topics discuss the good for the individual and the community. Start studying aristotles nicomachean ethics book 10. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Courage consists of confidence in the face of fear. Aristotle explains that mere arguments about virtue arent enough to make people behave decently. It will serve newcomers as an informative, accessible introduction to the nicomachean ethics and to many issues in aristotles philosophy, but also has much to offer advanced scholars. Definition of the subject and nature of the problem a. Dec 10, 2018 nicomachean ethics pdf summary the nicomachean ethics is aristotles bestknown work on ethics and, quite possibly, the most influential book on the subject ever written. Aristotle begins a lengthy discussion of friendship that will take up the next two major sections of the work. The nicomachean ethics is one of aristotles most widely read and influential works.
We have reasons when we do things we act with ends in mind, whatever those ends may be. Youre about to go for a severalthousandyearold rideand aristotle aint going to make it easy for you. Aristotle sees pleasure, honour and virtue as significant wants for people, and then argues that virtue is the most important of these. The nicomachean ethics, aristotles most important study of personal morality and the ends of human life, has for many centuries been a widelyread and influential book. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of nicomachean ethics and what it means. Course hero literature instructor russell jaffe provides an indepth summary and analysis of book 8 of aristotles philosophical text. All human activities are done in order to attain something that is good. Jan 01, 1999 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. But in aristotles metaphysics, at the heart of his philosophy, such separation removes any intelligibility and meaning to the world. He justifies this belief by arguing that if the community is in disharmony, so will the person be.
Aristotle on friendship based on virtue nicomachean ethics. The commentary is noteworthy for its frequent citations of relevant passages from other works in aristotles corpus, which often. Book i 1 every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is. Among its most outstanding features are aristotles insistence that there. Cliffsnotes on aristotles ethics explores the ancient greek philosopher and scientists writings on ethics, particularly his analyses of character, pleasure, courage, friendship, and intelligence as. The achievement of happiness, according to aristotle, is the end goal of every man. The highest good is the end telos or goal of that activity. Chapter viii cliffsnotes study guides book summaries. A glossary defines key terms in aristotles philosophicalpolitical vocabulary. Courage, temperance, liberality, magnificence, proper pride, ambition, good temper. Chapter viii confirmation of our view in popular ideas on happiness summary the first principle we have arrived at the definition of happiness given above must be tested logically, as a conclusion drawn from premises, and also in the light of generally held opinions on the nature of happiness, for something that.
This new edition of the politics retains and adds to lords already extensive notes, clarifying the flow of aristotles argument and identifying literary and historical references. 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. About aristotles ethics cliffsnotes study guides book. Nicomachean ethics book eight summary and analysis. Aristotles nicomachean ethics revision, book eight. All human actions and choices aim at some good, which may be defined as the end or object of that action or choice. Aristotle begins with a hypothesis, one which he will proceed to test. The internet classics archive nicomachean ethics by aristotle.
Cliff s notes for aristotles nicomachean ethics robert milch on. Summary of aristotles nicomachean ethics build the fire. A summary of book viii in aristotles nicomachean ethics. Find a summary of this and each chapter of nicomachean ethics. Summary section 1 this section provides background for book 6 by defining the different parts of the soul. My point is, we dont bumble through life arbitrarily. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of nicomachean ethics and what it. In addition, most of these activities are not the main objective, but rather a means to a higher end. A catalogue record for this book is available from the british library library of congress cataloguing in publication data aristotle. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis. In the nicomachean ethics, aristotle makes the claim that happiness is something which is both precious and final. Having discussed virtues of character, aristotle turns to virtues of thought. Aristotles high regard for friendship can be seen in the way he guards against that type. Cambridge texts in the history of philosophy includes index.
Quite a few comments have been posted about nicomachean ethics. From kant to john rawls, all philosophers have discussed the issue with aristotle on the good life and on happiness to summarize, aristotle raises the question of virtue. Nicomachean ethics study guide contains a biography of aristotle, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes. Plato, in his theory of forms, separates the sensible world appearances of the intelligible world ideas and the intelligible world was the only reality, the foundation of all truth. 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. After this, the next step would be a discussion of friendship, since it is a virtue or involves virtue, and is. He notes that friendship seems to be a naturally desirable thing among humans as well as among other animals of the same species. Aristotle s nichomachean ethics begins with a simple premise, which is that everyone wants to be happy. Nicomachean ethics aristotle mcmaster faculty of social. Naturalphilosophersarenotultimate philosophers,theprincipleofnonacontradictionpncisthemost.
Continue your study of nicomachean ethics with these useful links. A summary of book viii in aristotle s nicomachean ethics. Collectively called nicomachean ethics, the athenians treatise covers the attainment of true happiness through virtuous action. 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. 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. Chapter summary for aristotles nicomachean ethics, book 8 summary. But a difference is observable among these aims or ends. Most people live by their feelings, pursuing pleasures and avoiding pains, and they dont have a taste for the fine and truly pleasant. The best way to become happy takes up much of the rest of the work, as aristotle examines the nature of happiness what sort of actions lead to it. Oct 24, 2010 nicomachean ethics by aristotle summary 1. Lord has made revisions to problematic passages throughout the translation in order to enhance both its accuracy and its readability. The nicomachean ethics, aristotle s most important study of personal morality and the ends of human life, has for many centuries been a widelyread and influential book.
It consists of ten books all of them originally written as separate scrolls and is based on aristotles notes from his lectures at the lyceum, the ancient. The good is that at which all things including people aim or what they all seek. Aug 05, 2019 the achievement of happiness, according to aristotle, is the end goal of every man. One by one, aristotle discusses the various moral virtues and their corresponding vices. The nicomachean ethics has proved to be aristotles most popular work on the subject. Aristotle begins the work by positing that there exists some ultimate good toward which, in the final analysis, all human actions ultimately aim. We all want to know the answer to that one and aristotle pondered this. Aristotle on friendship based on virtue nicomachean ethics book 8. Read a brief overview of the work, or chapter by chapter summaries. But it at once appears that the important distinction is between goods of the soul on the one hand and all rest the good in the body and those outside and of fortune. Nicomachean ethics pdf summary aristotle 12min blog. Every art and every kind of inquiry, and like in an lie dou man seelrf wiqe every act and purpose, seems to aim at sorne. Apr 24, 2012 the nicomachean ethics by aristotle is the most influential book of the moral philosophy. Nicomachean ethics 5 good judge of that subject, and the man who has received an allround education is a good judge in general.
We dont do something because we think it will be bad for us. The nicomachean ethics book 10, chapter 8 1178a91179a32 summary. Ideal for someone who doesnt have lots of time to read widely about aristotle but wants enough information to give them a good grounding in this philosopher. Nicomachean ethics is a philosophical inquiry into the nature of the good life for a human being. Nicomachean ethics5 good judge of that subject, and the man who has received an allround education is a good judge in general. Aptly nicknamed the philosopher, aristotle lived from 384322 bc in ancient greece, contributing to nearly every major field of study in his time. From kant to john rawls, all philosophers have discussed the issue with aristotle on the good life and on happiness. To summarize, aristotle raises the question of virtue. Get aristotles nicomachean ethics support my work here philosophy tutorials. Friendship is a form of virtue, or at the very least implies the existence of virtue, and in addition is indispensable for human life since man is a social being.
Of all the things that aristotle spoke and wrote aboutand there are a lot, from politics to the arts and scienceshes best known by modern audiences for his answer to a basic human question. It indicates a lesser amount of selfcontrol than temperance but more than belongs to intemperance. Ideas central to ethicsthat happiness is the end of human endeavor, that moral virtue is formed through action and habituation, and that good action requires prudencefound their most powerful proponent in the person medieval scholars simply called the philosopher. By exercising the moral virtues courage, moderation, liberality, etc, we achieve a secondary kind of happiness. This is the kind of happiness that comes from living well and justly in relation to other peoplewhich is quite important, and so very human.
422 750 1197 667 984 103 506 1140 1000 1199 32 820 856 64 830 293 1352 250 1272 1663 509 1409 762 663 981 627 767 1577 1573 512 766 921 993 884 927 1325 1194 1127 270