...Name Tutor Course Date Nicomachean ethics This is a book by Aristotle and is often regarded as the best work on ethics. In this book, Aristotle focuses on the different types of friendship, how the friendships form, and how long they last depending on the reasons for the friendship. This paper will focus on the types of friendship as advanced by Aristotle, illustrate what he meant by saying friendship based on virtue and my views towards this subject. Aristotle differentiates between three types of friendship. First, he singles out mutual, recognized love among people with respect for one another. Their friendship is for mutual benefit. They love each other for the good they get from each other. These kinds of friends wish each other well in respect of the love they have for one another. The second class of friends according to Aristotle is those who love for pleasure. They do not get into friendship because they admire each other’s character but because they derive pleasure from one another. In this type of friendship, one looks at the pleasure that is derivable from the friend. The friendship continues as long as there is pleasure derived. For this reason, this type of friendship is only incidental. The friendship dissolves away easily in case one friend ceases to get the pleasure previously derived or if one of the friends changes in character. If one party ceases to be pleasant and useful, the other party withdraws from the friendship. Aristotle argues that...
Words: 879 - Pages: 4
...Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Does God exist? If so, why is there evil? Like St. Augustine, I do acknowledge that ``God exists”. In order to explain his ideology, Augustine refers to the life of a tree, rock, dog and human beings. He argues that among the things aforementioned, only human being posses the ability to think and act thus meaning that among the creations on earth, the human being is the intelligent creature. Further, he expounds his argument by stating that if another being is intelligently superior to human beings, then it has to be God. However, St. Augustine acknowledges the presence of evil. St. Augustine’s opinion of sin is linked to the freedom to exercise ``freewill” by individuals an aspect that results to ``moral evil”. Free will forms the basis by Augustine that God should not be blamed for ``the existence” of sin. To expound on his argument, Augustine informs his readers that he like many other people has been subject to sin due to his desire to realize what sin entails and urges the people not to dwell so much on sin rather than the existence of God(pg,164). In conclusion, I support Augustine’s argument that no one can understand the thinking of God thus we should focus on his goodness rather than sin existence. Are Human Beings Selfish? I believe that every ``human being” is selfish. The selfish nature of human beings is evident from the daily activities that we engage in during our lifetime and routines. In the current society, it is common...
Words: 901 - Pages: 4
...Was Socrates the first coach? The ancient Greek philosophers and coaching Flourishing life (eudaimonia) Excellence (aristia) –Prudence (phronesis) – Morals (ethos) This original article (a shorter one) written by Barbara Asimakopoulou was first published in International Coaching Federation’s blog The ancient Greek philosophers, motivated by their love of knowledge (the actual word “philosopher” derives from the Greek words “filos” and “Sophia” which mean “friend” and “wisdom” respectively) have been preoccupied with the investigation of the reasons for human existence and the way men should live, so as to be consistent with their reason for being. Their views widely appealed to the western world and formed the foundation for western philosophy and psychology, influencing the philosophers who followed, from the oldest to the most contemporary ones and inspiring passionate support but not without also being questioned. Today, most of their views seem to have lost nothing of their lustre and stand out like shining beacons, especially now that the western world is desperately seeking answers in order to relight its fires!!! In the text below, I refer to Aristotle and Socrates, the principles and practices they bequeathed us, so as to prove that these have a lot in common with the principles and practices of coaching. In addition, I will attempt to prove that Socrates is the first ever coach!!! Aristotle, a student of Socrates and Plato, the most important philosopher...
Words: 1097 - Pages: 5
...From seeking enjoyment to avoiding grief, most people's goal in life is about achieving happiness. However, how to define and obtain happiness in one's life and also living it virtuous can be challenging. When we consider the questions of how we should live our lives, we often seek for some method or schematic that we can apply to help us classify our actions and qualities as good, bad, or indifferent. Such a means of methodology would surely make it easier to determine what the right thing to do is. In the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle formulates a concept in which we can integrate into our lives to measure and characterize our actions and choices. This concept is called the Doctrine of the Mean and according to Aristotle if we utilize his...
Words: 391 - Pages: 2
... What separates a life of pleasures from a life of happiness? This question is in my opinion the core question in understanding the good life. For this essay I will define pleasure as the temporary state of enjoyment, often achieved through the satisfaction of physical desires. Happiness on the other hand shall be defined as a permanent state of satisfaction that is capable of enduring through periods in which physical satisfaction is absent. This essay will examine the works The History by Herodotus and Happiness by Taylor. This essay will argue that in order to achieve happiness one must be willing to put aside the pursuit of pleasures. Many people equate the search for happiness with the pursuit of happiness. In their pursuit of pleasure they attempt to amass wealth and live in the moment. This comparison of the pursuits is a misinterpretation of what it happiness is. These people mistakenly believe that they can achieve the satisfaction of happiness through indulgence, but as Taylor say, “If, to pursue the comparison once more, there was a race of people who exalted food without limit, indulged in gluttony, and envied corpulence as the mark of success in this pursuit, then we would say with certainty that theirs was a false and in fact disgusting ideal; nor would we change our judgment of them even if they declared with one voice that this was their happiness (114).” This quote clearly differentiates between pleasures and happiness. Even within a society that values gluttony...
Words: 613 - Pages: 3
...“Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good; and for this reason the good has been rightly declared to be that at which all things aim.” Every human person, from the creation of man to the present day, whether knowingly or unknowingly, has been seeking one thing, one idea, one goal: happiness. From his earliest years, a human being’s natural inclination is to seek pleasure and avoid pain. The idea of happiness is a parallel to the idea of an ultimate good, mankind’s highest aim and is defined as a life of excellent function of of the rational faculties. Every man is striving for the good by means of the result of his actions, which are done for a purpose with an end in view. Everyone has goals. Getting a promotion, finishing a book, or cooking a new dish are all examples of goals, with a series of steps or actions involved to accomplish them. However, these small goals, in a different light, can be seen not as goals, but as actions which are all directed toward one higher, ultimate good. Goals build upon the other, creating a pyramid with universal good as the crown. It is not individual actions, but the goals of those actions that create a hierarchy with the good, or true happiness, on top of the pyramid. Aristotle’s use of the word happiness, however, differs from the English use. His Greek word, eudaimonia, means “living well and faring well.” Instead of happiness as a state of mind, Aristotle uses it to convey an...
Words: 924 - Pages: 4
...Aristotle also affirms the idea that every act is aimed at achieving some form of good, the good then becoming the greater purpose behind every formal cause. His two affirmations are as follows; there is ethical significance in action and all actions aim at the good. However, as readers we are met with the same problem, as when reviewing Socrates Moral Intellectualism in that, we do not have a universally accepted definition of the good, leaving it vulnerable to subjective interpretation. With this ambiguity, regardless of if every action has the same goal, different paths and different outcomes will be strived for in order to reach this highest good. I do believe that all actions whether done for satisfaction in the present or for future gains are used to better the suffering condition humans find themselves in. However, these may also be limited to actions that require deliberation or an active assessment, judgement and choice. Some subconscious or habitual habits do not serve us any good but are nonetheless actions we take part in just from memory or routine. These actions are simply done due to familiarity. Perhaps these are actions done in and of themselves for meanings other than happiness. Happiness (Eudaimonia) as we understand it is a construct that is socially and culturally defined. Furthermore, individualistic views of happiness must be accounted for as well. The term ‘good’ itself has become so broad, we refer to material commodities as ‘goods’ highlighting the idea...
Words: 819 - Pages: 4
... I believe that dignity is tied to true happiness. As Gandhi put it, happiness is an enlightened realization of human dignity. Simply put, dignity is the state of being worthy of honor or respect. Many people believe that happiness is an individual responsibility and that people shouldn’t look to others for happiness, but I believe that whether we like it or not our happiness is tied to the happiness and well-being of others around us as well. If we assume Gandhi’s definition of happiness, then I do not see how one could be truly happy if they don’t have their dignity. When thinking about happiness, I thought it was important to make the distinction between real happiness and “happiness” one finds in material objects. It’s possible to be content with oneself and one’s situation if they were to measure happiness by the amount of things they own, but outside of that without a sense of dignity I don’t think it’s possible to find true happiness. In the case of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decided that the right to privacy under the due process clause of the 14th amendment extended to a woman’s decision to have an abortion, but this right must be balanced against the states interests in regulating abortion: women’s health and protecting a potential life. They did this by tying the states regulation of abortion to the third trimester of a pregnancy, where the states interests become stronger. Part of human dignity is the right to decide what happens to your body. By upholding Roe...
Words: 1362 - Pages: 6
...Throughout his life, Aristotle paid particularly close attention to the notion of happiness. In Aristotle’s opinion, happiness is achieved by obtaining the highest good by living a good life. However, living a good life in accordance with Aristotle’s views can be difficult. He believes that in order to live a good life, one must constantly seek to fulfill the bodily needs. To do so, one must live with moral and intellectual virtues at all times. Aristotle believed that living with moral and intellectual virtues is accomplished by developing a keen sense of rationality. He says that rational judgment is the result of living within the appropriate mean of two extremes. There are several examples he gives to illustrate this conception. One example he provides is the appropriate mean between acting bravely and acting cowardly. He proceeds to explain that if he was to act overly brave then when he was in battle he would act overzealously and cause himself harm. However, if he was to act without enough aggression then he would appear cowardly. Aristotle explains that it is reasonable to be confused with this explanation. He further explains that it is not finding the exact mean between two extremes that one must endeavor, but to assess each situation individually. He says that with each situation that arises, one must analyze it and determine to what degree of one extreme or another one must respond with. Each person, he believes, will react differently and no situation will be exactly...
Words: 465 - Pages: 2
...Criteria for Happiness This article entitled “Criteria for Happiness in Nicomachean Ethics and X 6-8 “ , it foundation is based on Aristotle’s’ criteria for what is to count as human happiness. According to Aristotle happiness for a man is self-sufficient, complete without qualification, peculiar to humans, excellent and best and most complete. The ethical issues that are present in this article is the comparison between the I 7 and the X 6-8 . I 7 criteria implies that there is only one activity which is happiness and one happy life whereas X 8-6 there are two happy lives and therefore two activities which meet the criteria of happiness. The ethical alternatives include where Aristotle retains the CA version of the peculiarity criterion while changing his view of human nature , which means that when a person is his or he nous then contemplation exercises the only human ability. Another alternative is that self sufficiency does mean ‘ that which is sufficient for a man by himself’ According to Aristotle he ignores the distinction between goods of lowest completeness and goods of intermediate completeness because this distinction is considered irrelevant to hispresent purpose. Under completeness moral action is also said to be a intermediate completeness. An alternative to contemplation is happiness and is an unwelcome conclusion for an inclusivist. Aristotle abandons the I 7 peculiarity and he denies that contemplation is peculiar to humans when he observes that God contemplates...
Words: 464 - Pages: 2
...Yesun-Erdene.B Can Money Buy Happiness? We live in a society of shopaholics. This process of shopping and purchasing things that we want is the major part of any economy and a main factor that is developing society; therefore, many people have become more materialistic and give a lot importance to money and chasing it. They think that money can’t buy happiness, however; it can. Moreover, money plays an important role in our lives because it helps us to value things in our lives and it motivates people to work hard to make money to have the things they desire. Money helps us to value things in our lives. We human beings are very greedy and we have endless demands. In order to obtain our demands, some amount of money is necessary because it is difficult to be happy when we don’t have access to the necessities. So, once we have gotten our basic demands, these things could make our lives more valuable even if it’s a little bit. For example, when we are stressed out for some reason we just want to take a break or vacation to somewhere with our family where we can relax and enjoy, but it costs a lot of money and there are many people who can’t afford to go to the vacation. However, one of the human necessities is exactly taking a rest. Thus, people must get some rest sometimes, because it will make them happier and give them more energy to live. Otherwise, people will get depressed easily and stressed out often and it becomes a major health problem. Second...
Words: 475 - Pages: 2
...Homeostasis, originated from Greece, means the capability to withstand change in order to manage a stable, comparatively steady internal environment. The human body accommodates biological systems that are perpetually being obtained from their balance points (Khan Academy). The organism of the human body contains an aptitude to sustain an incessant internal environment. In order to sustain an incessant internal environment, steady adjustments are essential. These steady adjustments need to be made continuously to maintain at normal range because the internal and external environments are constantly changing (Open Curriculum). Homeostasis can be broken up into two different categories: particularized and generalized which both contribute to the proper functioning of the processes and subsystems of an organism. Particularized homeostasis corresponds to the end product of the proper functioning that is internal to the organism with a coordination of components. On the other hand, generalized homeostasis contains the result of the proper functioning from the overall maintenance that gives environment pressures that are external to the organism. Because homeostasis is maintained from levels of the processes and subsystems, the overall homeostasis of an organism is maintained (Aro, 2008). One of the primitive control mechanisms of the body is the endocrine system (Davis, 2007). Feedback loops, negative and positive, transpire to manage and maintain homeostasis throughout the human body...
Words: 833 - Pages: 4
...The good life can easily be defined as the prototypical life that we should all strive to live. There are countless ideas as to what exactly the good life is, some more reasonable than others. In Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle tells us what he thinks the life lived well truly is. The basis of his argument is that happiness, or eudaimonia in Greek, is the final end that humans should strive for. The first step in achieving happiness, according to Aristotle is through reason. Aristotle starts off by saying that what makes humans unique from other animals is our ability to reason. It is through reason that we can become more like the “Gods” and come closer to living Aristotle’s view of the good life. Aristotle separates reason into two distinct categories: practical reason and theoretical reason. Practical reason can be thought of as the ability, through contemplation, to decide what one ought to do. Theoretical reason, on the other hand, can be viewed as reasoning that is directed at answering questions that are, coincidentally enough, theoretical. By theoretical I mean questions that are concerned with explaining and predicting what is going on around us. Going back to Aristotle’s assertion that reason is what separates us from lower beings, we can see that he is probably referring more to theoretical reason as opposed to practical reason. Any animal can exercise practical reason in determining what to do to survive, but can an animal reason theoretically? Aristotle says no and...
Words: 1384 - Pages: 6
...picture The Help directed by Tate Taylor. Introduction What gives human beings their character, dignity and self-respect? What makes up them up in humans? Aristotle, St. Augustine, and Epictetus all attempted to answer this very question examining human nature very closely. Aristotle took on the subject of character; Epictetus took on the topic of dignity and St. Augustine the topic of self-respect. In the movie The Help directed by Tate Taylor each of these reasoning’s can be addressed in detail and example. Aristotle and Character Aristotle approached the subject of the virtuous character like this; the soul is in two halves one being the rational and the other being the non-rational. His definition is best discussed in Nicomachean Ethics II.7: “Excellence [of character], then, is a state concerned with choice, lying in a mean relative to us, this being determined by reason and in the way in which the man of practical wisdom would determine it. Now it is a mean between two vices, that which depends on excess and that which depends on defect.” (1106b36–1107a3) An example of this in The Help is in the character of Skeeter Phelan; in the movie Skeeter has come back home to her home town of Jackson Mississippi during the heat of the segregation debate. Skeeter was raised by an African American maid in her home, but now has decided to write a book revealing what life as an African American domestic worker is like in Jackson. Skeeter defines the virtuous character; she was...
Words: 1196 - Pages: 5
...Sarmad Barrak Introduction to Philosophy November 13, 2014 Prof. Corrigan Happiness and Virtuous Life Knowledge is, the understanding of things in which we learn through our life experiences and through the most general truth of art and science. Wisdom however, consists of understanding the fundamental principles and causes of life. Moreover, Aristotle argues that the ultimate goal of life is “living well,” which is happiness. There are multiple activities we participate in as human beings either to stay alive such as eating, drinking, exercising, or to make life easier or better somehow. For example, thinking, learning, and educating ourselves is not just to stay alive but most importantly to live an enhanced life. To Aristotle, “living well” is the ultimate goal of life, because we participate in several physical and mental activities in our life time in the purpose of fulfilling the requirements that leads us to that well life, but not in the purpose of achieving further goals in life. According to Aristotle, “All men by nature desire to know.” There are a lot of things that we do as human beings, such as feelings, thinking, and reasoning. These are things we desire in this world or believe that they are good in seeking some goals in life. Everyone desires to know or to understand something in his or her lifetime. Everyone is searching for particular rational...
Words: 1152 - Pages: 5
