Aristotle – Nicomachean Ethics Book I 1. What does it mean to say Aristotle’s ethical theory is “teleological?” In Aristotle’s world‚ nature‚ which is made up of matter and form‚ is teleological‚ meaning it has an end or goal. For example‚ the telos of an acorn is to turn into an oak tree. At first something has its potential and then it makes the choice in life to actualize that potential‚ by virtue‚ and be the best it can be. There is an aim and purpose to everything and a purpose to everything
Free Virtue Morality Ethics
Moral Philosophy As Aristotle uncovered in the early chapters of Book 1 of Nicomachean Ethics‚ all actions teleological‚ aiming at the ultimate good. Everything we do is goal directed‚ with this ultimate end being happiness‚ but more exactly a maintained state of well being called eudaimonia. While the route to achieve this ultimate end can be unique for individuals and understood different by those of varying experience and intellectual levels‚ the chief good at the end always remains the
Premium Nicomachean Ethics Ethics Eudaimonia
Human nature is constructed to aim for something good at the end of every act. Every human aims at achieving the happiness as an end result. That is the reason why in this paper‚ I will argue that Aristotle’s theory‚ Nicomachean Ethics‚ is the most plausible theory in describing human nature and answering the question of how one should live in order to attain happiness. According to Aristotle all the human activities are directed towards a final end‚ which he claims to be the happiness. He also claims
Premium Nicomachean Ethics Ethics Eudaimonia
Aristotle in “The Nicomachean Ethics” he talks about the relationship between self-love and friendship. Aristotle states that there are three types of friendship: utilizing friendship‚ pleasurable friendship and virtuous friendship. In order to have a virtuous friendship you must have a virtuous self-love. In order to have a virtuous self-love you must do virtuous acts. “Perfect friendship is the friendship of men who are good‚ and alike in virtue.” (Aristotle‚ The Nicomachean Ethics‚ p.145) Human beings
Premium Virtue Plato Friendship
actions that are within the mean; neither excessive‚ nor deficient. Aristotle also emphasizes that happiness is more permanent than pleasure. Indeed‚ he argues further that our ethics is defined by our actions. His main point is that we need to live temperate lives in order to be
Premium Ethics Nicomachean Ethics Eudaimonia
In the Nicomachean Ethics‚ Aristotle strongly advocated for this idea. In Book I of the Nicomachean Ethics‚ Aristotle states‚ “since happiness is an activity of soul in accordance with perfect virtue‚ we must consider the nature of virtue…[as] to make fellow citizens good and obedient to the laws” (Becker #)
Premium Virtue Justice Law
Meaghan Hill 24th September 2012 Ethics; Dr. Patton The Nicomachean Ethics - Virtues People are naturally self aware‚ and because of that we are under the impression we are in complete control over our personalities and actions. Aristotle reasons in “The Nicomachean Ethics” that peoples values and ethics are shaped by the society in which they live in‚ and that are ability to follow them is based on how we are raised. According to Aristotle we are trained in the behaviors that are socially acceptable
Premium Ethics Plato Aristotle
Aristotle provides the teleological approach of how to live well in his collection of lectures‚ Nicomachean Ethics. In Book II of Nicomachean Ethics‚ Aristotle presents his definition of virtue in which it is "a kind of mean" (N.E. 129). According to Aristotle‚ moral virtue is a means to an end‚ happiness. By using Sophocles’s Antigone‚ I will support Aristotle’s theory of virtue in which he reasons it to be a state of character between two extremes. A virtue that remains relevant today as it did
Premium Virtue Ethics Plato
Western Europe‚ decided to discover what it means to truly be happy and how humans could attain it. Aristotle studied many areas of human knowledge and wrote his thesis in his book The Nicomachean Ethics. He develops the notion that thinking will lead to the highest happiness that a human could achieve. In The Nicomachean Ethics‚ Aristotle talks about how humans have immediate goods in life such as “pleasure‚ money‚ or‚ eminence‚” which will contribute to the supreme good in life (7). However‚ the supreme
Premium Ethics Nicomachean Ethics Eudaimonia
Aristotle In Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle makes the case for the fulfillment of Eudimonea‚ the greatest happiness and good that a person can achieve. He states that there are 3 ways in which creatures‚ human specifically go about trying to fulfill Eudimonea. The first is through pleasure‚ be it sensual‚ tactile or mental. Through this basic ingredient me experience such things as food‚ games‚ and science fiction novels. The 2nd part of Aristotle’s Eudimonea is honor and recognition‚ be it recognition
Premium Aristotle Modern history Nicomachean Ethics