His bestknown work in this field, the nicomachean ethics, consists of 10 books addressing the question of how the individual should best live. Friendship, then, is more about loving than being loved, and loving is the virtue of friends. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 329 pages and is available in paperback format. In addition, reason, at its best, enables virtuous or fine actions. Cambridge texts in the history of philosophy includes index. Find a summary of this and each chapter of nicomachean ethics. 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 university founded by the great. Aristotle reminds the reader that the soul has two main parts. For no one would choose to live without friends, but possessing all other good things. The nicomachean ethics of aristotle saint marys college. 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.
A summary of book viii in aristotle s nicomachean ethics. Aristotles nicomachean ethics explained with book summaries in just a few minutes. The nicomachean ethics aristotle 384 bce 322 bce, translated by thomas taylor 1758 1835 the work consists of ten books, originally separate scrolls, and is understood to be based on notes said to be from his lectures at the lyceum which were either edited by. He explains what is necessary for complete friendship to exist, including the need for friends to live together in order to see. Nicomachean ethics is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. 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. Questions for reflection nicomachean ethics book 6. 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. From kant to john rawls, all philosophers have discussed the issue with aristotle on the good life and on happiness.
In order to properly define ethical behaviour, aristotle attempts to conceive of a society that is ideal in the sense of securing the maximum happiness for the entire population. However, in chapter 3 of book 8, aristotle asserts the finest friendships are enduring insofar the. Our next business after this will be to discuss friendship. A summary of book viii in aristotles nicomachean ethics.
Dec 10, 2018 the nicomachean ethics is aristotles bestknown work on ethics and, quite possibly, the most influential book on the subject ever written. The philosophers principle work of moral philosophy is entitled nicomachean ethics, and is comprised of ten distinct books. 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. Nov 06, 2018 here are 5 of my favorite big ideas from the nicomachean ethics by aristotle. The main characters of this philosophy, politics story are. Aristotle lectured, wrote, and compiled a library here.
Aristotles nicomachean ethics, said to be dedicated to aristotles son, nicomachus, is widely regarded as one of the most important works in the history of western philosophy. This edition includes notes and a glossary, intending to provide the reader with some sense of the terms and the concepts. Nicomachean ethics aristotle faculty of social sciences. Within book 8 and 9 of aristotles nicomachean ethics, he concludes that an excellent friendship is the most choiceworthy good an individual can externally attain aristotle 149, 1170a, section 7. In this video, professor thorsby discusses aristotles nicomachean ethics book viii. The nicomachean ethics audiobook by aristotle, david ross.
The nicomachean ethics is one of aristotles most widely read and influential works. Aristotles nicomachean ethics 2 books 610 virtues, selfcontrol, friendship, and pleasure welcome to the course and preliminaries. Nicomachean ethics by aristotle the internet classics archive. He clearly believes that we are born disposed to receive virtues, but that our education and habituationpractical application of principles to daily actionhave the upper hand in forming our characters. The internet classics archive nicomachean ethics by. This book centers the discussion on the topic of friendship. The nicomachean ethics audiobook by aristotle, david. Another kind of friendship is that in which one of the parties is superior, such as the friendship between a parent and a child. Course hero literature instructor russell jaffe provides an indepth summary and analysis of book 8 of aristotle. Discussion forum nicomachean ethics book 8 quiz test your. It is in the hands of each individual, he argues in these books on personal ethics, to develop a. Aristotle on friendship based on virtue nicomachean ethics book 8. Quite a few comments have been posted about nicomachean ethics. Aristotle s writings have been extraordinarily influential since ancient times.
The first sentence of aristotles metaphysics is paradigmatically true of its author. Accordingly we must examine our first principle 1 not only as a logical conclusion deduced from certain premises but also in the light of the current opinions on the subject. In the nicomachean ethics, aristotle makes the claim that happiness is something which is both precious and final. For aristotle, ethics seeks to determine what makes a virtuous character possible, which is essential for a state of wellbeing. After his death, the school endured for several centuries, drawing students mainly young athenian males from all over the mediterranean. Aristotle once again emphasizes that similarity in virtue is essential for longlasting friendship. The internet classics archive nicomachean ethics by aristotle. The nicomachean ethics by aristotle is the most influential book of the moral philosophy. After this, the next step would be a discussion of friendship, since it is a virtue or involves virtue, and is an absolute necessity in life. The first edition of the novel was published in 350, and was written by aristotle.
Aristotles nicomachean ethics 2 books 610 virtues, selfcontrol, friendship, and pleasure. Nicomachean ethics quizzes about important details and events in every section of the book. To summarize, aristotle raises the question of virtue. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. 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. Discussion forum nicomachean ethics book 8 quiz test your understanding of nicomachean ethics book 8. Aristotles nicomachean ethics 2 books 610 virtues, self. Feb 26, 2014 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. A catalogue record for this book is available from the british library library of congress cataloguing in publication data aristotle. Aristotle also clarifies that while loving is a feeling, friendship is a state.
The nicomachean ethics aristotle 384 bce 322 bce, translated by thomas taylor 1758 1835 the work consists of ten books, originally separate scrolls, and is understood to be based on notes said to be from his lectures at the lyceum which were either edited by or dedicated to aristotle s son, nicomachus. Nicomachean ethics by aristotle, part of the internet classics archive. Apr 10, 2020 aristotles nicomachean ethics explained with book summaries in just a few minutes. Nicomachean ethics study guide literature guide litcharts. The commentary is noteworthy for its frequent citations of relevant passages from other works in aristotles corpus, which often shed new light on the texts.
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. Aristotle sees pleasure, honour and virtue as significant wants for people, and then argues that virtue is the most important of these. This is all about friendship, which aristotle first defines and then breaks down into three types. By contrast, aristotles politics concerns the optimum blueprint for the citystate. Free download or read online the nicomachean ethics pdf epub book. Course hero literature instructor russell jaffe provides. Addressing the question of how men should best live, aristotles treatise is not a mere philosophical meditation on the subject, but a practical examination that aims to provide a guide for living out its recommendations. Mar 06, 2012 a disciple of plato and the tutor to alexander the great, aristotle was a prolific writer, although many of his works have been lost. Addressing the question of how men should best live, aristotles treatise is not a mere philosophical meditation on the subject, but a practical examination that aims to.
Although a flatterer can get insincere honor, it is. His treatises, used by the students of his famous athenian school, the lyceum, exerted a profound and lasting influence on western thought. Jul 01, 2005 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Nicomachean ethics is based on aristotles lecture notes for the lyceum, the philosophy school he founded in athens around 334 b. Aristotles nicomachean ethics, said to be dedicated to aristotles son nicomachus, is widely regarded as one of the most important works in the history of western philosophy. Chapter summary for aristotles nicomachean ethics, book 8 summary. Aristotle was born in stagira, in macedonia now northern greece, in 384 bce. Aristotle s nicomachean ethics is one of the worlds great books. Friendship in book 8 and 9 of aristotles 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.
Humanitys ideal function or good involves the soul, which makes humans uniquely capable of reason. Here are 5 of my favorite big ideas from the nicomachean ethics by aristotle. Any book that has survived as long as aristotles ethics. Nicomachean ethics book eight summary and analysis. Plato had discussed similar themes in several dialogues, including the republic and the philebus and gorgias. Aristotles nicomachean ethics revision, book eight.
Aristotles writings have been extraordinarily influential since ancient times. Doc aristotle, nicomachean ethics, books 810 carlon. He sought to understand, and to help others to understand, logic, mathematics, the nature of reality, physics, knowledge, the mind, language, biology, physiology, astronomy, time, theology, literature. 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. 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. Summary section 1 this section provides background for book 6 by defining the different parts of the soul. The nicomachean ethics book by aristotle thriftbooks. His father was a doctor, and this may partly explain his fondness for medical analogies in the ethics see, e. Aristotle arrived in athens in 367, and spent the next twenty years there as a member of platos academy.
Book ix 1 in all friendships between dissimilars it is, as we have said, proportion that equalizes the parties and preserves the friendship. This seems to be so because it is a first principle or ultimate starting point. Aristotle will spend the rest of the ethics proving this statement. Focus philosophical librarys edition of aristotles nicomachean ethics is a lucid and useful translation of one of aristotles major works for the student of undergraduate philosophy, as well as for the general reader interested in the major works of western civilization.
Aristotle was the first philosopher to write ethical treatises. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read nicomachean ethics. In section 8 aristotle examines the currencies of friendship, which are love and honor. Friendship requires decision, which comes from a state. Book 8 this is all about friendship, which aristotle first defines and then breaks down into three types. The work, which plays a preeminent role in defining aristotelian ethics, consists of ten books, originally separate scrolls, and is understood to be based on notes from his lectures at the lyceum. Aristotles nicomachean ethics and eudemian ethics represent, in many ways, the western classical springboard for the systematic study and implementation of ethics, the optimum behaviour of the individual. Pdf the nicomachean ethics book by aristotle free download. Edited and translated by roger crisp, st annes college, oxford. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
Nicomachean ethics 5 good judge of that subject, and the man who has received an allround education is a good judge in general. 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. Chapter summary for aristotle s nicomachean ethics, book 8 summary. Aristotle discusses pleasure in two separate parts of the nicomachean ethics book 7 chapters 1114 and book 10 chapters 15. Book i 1 every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is.
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