Nicomachean Ethics

Nicomachean Ethics

The Nichomachean ethics entails Aristotle’s most prolific work on ethics, consisting of ten books. The Nicomachean Ethics involve ten books that existed in separate scrolls, which are believed to come from his lecture notes. The report addresses some of the core topics in the book that relate to how best men ought to live.  The report covers happiness, the virtue of character and pleasure. Every human beings retracts from pain and bad experiences, while they focus on pleasure. Different method allow a person attain pleasure. Some people attain pleasure in food, running or seeking the attention of friends.

Book 1: happiness

Aristotle starts the ethics study with the notion that there is an apparent goodness that is not only self-sufficient but also complete and refers to it as happiness. Human actions have an end because their actions get performed on purpose and a given goal. An act might get performed for a limited, which when once attained leads to another goal, and so on[1]. Human beings dwell on lesser goods like pleasure, wealth and fame for the sake of happiness. Happiness occurs from seeking functions that man deems proper.

The mentality that an individual must become virtuous to comprehend ethics forms an essential element in Aristotle’s argument. Ethical studies entail practical reasons whose outcome involve actions that augur with ethical principles. A person that does not engage in ethical behavior might not relate the benefits of ethics.  Everyone’s ultimate goal is to get happy, but in different methods because individuals become exhilarated at different things[2]. Something that makes one happy might not necessarily make another happy.

Book2: virtue of character

Ethical virtue is a behavior that one expresses towards their actions deliberately, and varies from person to person, and depends on each person’s perception. Particular differences exist between acting virtuously and being a virtuous person. For one to become virtuous, he or she must not just act virtuously, but similarly, comprehend the fact that he acts virtuously. The person must also relate the fact that he engages in the virtuous act for his benefit, and behave firmly. Acting virtuously means that a person is virtuous.

Aristotle argued claimed that virtues are inherited, and a person might perfect them habitually. When a person engages in a virtuous action, they would feel the natural pleasure that happens as a result of virtue, and the benefit of becoming wholly virtuous[3]. A person is raised in their youth to experience the goodness and badness of their actions.

Laws control human behavior within an environment and people ought to follow them, but it does not contribute real virtuousness. Virtue requires individuals to engage in noble acts that benefit them with firmness and certainty. The person must acknowledge the nobility of their behaviors.

Book 3: preconditions of virtue

Moral virtue builds on the rationale that human beings are the cause of their actions. Aristotle addresses intention and volition and their relation to virtue. Human beings cannot entirely act on internal or external stimuli, and if so there could be no virtues or culpability. Assume that human beings are not the natural reasons for their actions, then it is not reasonable to hold a person accountable for the murder of another human being. A bolder that falls off a cliff and crushes a person might also not be held culpable on the same note. An individual might act voluntarily, but it is possible to attain moral virtue because it exists.

Aristotle identified two main virtues that included temperance and bravery that is the main relate to the spirited portion of a soul. Temperance and bravery relate to a person pain aversion and pleasure desire[4]. Virtue relates to directing the desires and natural fears depending on given reasons. A person must indicate courage and composure even when they incur mortal danger just for the sake of a normal ending.

Book 8: friendship

The chapter indicated the first chapter of the two chapters that related to nature and role of friendship. Aristotle placed friendship into three classes depending on the relationship levels. The first friendship category depended on usefulness. Aristotle identified a relational friendship according to the commercial or business activity performed that benefits both parties involved in the friendship. Commercial friendship becomes the least significant of the three forms of friendships[5]. A commercial friendship comes to an end the moment the business relation gets accomplished or successful. The friendship comes to an ultimate conclusion when the friendship does not become useful to the other party.

The second friendship that Aristotle discussed related with pleasure. The pleasure-based friendship depends on various stability and nobility levels depending on the pleasure that one seeks from the other or the friendship characteristics. The behavior of the people involved determines the nature of the pleasure-based friendship[6]. The friendship that is based on selfish gains and the friendship also comes to an ultimate end when either of the friends no longer produces the pleasure. Wicked people might have the two forms of friendships discussed above.

The third, and which is also the genuine form of friendship involves virtue takes place among good men. In the case of virtuous friendships, a person wishes the other friends genuine goodness and help others attain goodness in their lives[7]. A virtuous friendship bond that is not readily broken because the friendship is based on the desire to help their fellows genuinely. Virtuous friendships help their fellows in good and bad or hard times.

Book 10: pleasure

Aristotle talked about the importance of pleasure, especially to human life. Aristotle identified that human beings are readily attracted to pleasure but ran away from pain as much as possible. A person would naturally move away from bad places or situations. Motivations of a person towards pleasures come from the pain they experience[8]. Pleasure is sometimes considered an evil act depending on the experiences that human beings undergo.

Aristotle carefully explains the quality of pleasure goodness and the reasons for the goodness. The attainment of pleasure does not let a person feel ultimately good because ultimate good does not require any form of improvement or a kind of supplements. Pleasure does not equate goodness with life. A person that pursues pleasure with minimal virtue or lack of reason made an individual lead bestial life and enslaved to the pleasure goals. Before a person seeks pleasure goals, they ought to have reasons and virtue in the least. A person must have definitions of the pleasure that they intend to seek. Pleasure must not just get limited to the body but also fulfill and satisfy the needs of the soul.

Bibliography:

Aristotle. 1910. Nicomachean ethics. London: George Routledge. http://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/320041813.html.

BEJCZY, I. P. (2008). Virtue ethics in the Middle Ages: commentaries on Aristotle’s Nicomachean ethics, 1200-1500. Leiden, Brill.

PAKALUK, M. (2015). Aristotle’s Nicomachean ethics: an introduction. Cambridge [u.a.], Cambridge Univ. Press.

WARNE, C. (2016). Aristotle’s Nicomachean ethics: reader’s guide. London, Continuum.

[1] BEJCZY, Virtue ethics in the Middle Ages: commentaries on Aristotle’s Nicomachean ethics, 1200-1500.(2008)

[2] PAKALUK, Aristotle’s Nicomachean ethics: an introduction. Cambridge [u.a.], Cambridge Univ. Press. (2015).

[3] WARNE, Aristotle’s Nicomachean ethics: reader’s guide. London, Continuum, (2016).

[4] BEJCZY, Virtue ethics in the Middle Ages: commentaries on Aristotle’s Nicomachean ethics, 1200-1500.(2008)

[5] ibid

[6] ibid

[7] ibid

[8] PAKALUK, Aristotle’s Nicomachean ethics: an introduction. Cambridge [u.a.], Cambridge Univ. Press. (2015).