Arguments And Ideas In Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics

Business seeks to create happiness for all stakeholders through the production of products and services that establish value for customers. However are the business decisions “right” or “ethical”? With relevance to business, Aristotle suggests three main arguments and ideas in the Nicomachean Ethics. First, appropriate virtues of character are the important principle in ethics that allows a person to be truly ethical and only through practicing and honing into these virtues does one exhibit sound moral judgement. Secondly, Aristotle places great emphasis on how positive and active communities are essential to nurture appropriate virtues. Lastly, guidance from successful ethical and moral leaders is essential to disseminate an appropriate depiction
In Book 1, Aristotle states “but in every activity and undertaking, it is the end, for it is for the sake of this that they all do the rest” (Arist. EN 1.7, 1097a21, trans. Rowe). By excising this rationality for goodness, it ultimately leads to happiness, which is the reason for all action. Here, Aristotle supplies his teleological perspective that humans are goal or purpose oriented. For businesspersons, the goal could be considered to supply goods and services while adding value to all stakeholders. Although, Aristotle would argue that the goal of the businessperson is not an end in itself, rather it is a subordinate end that creates means to higher ends. Thus, to understand how to be a good person, one must understand the higher end purpose, happiness, which is pursued for its own sake. Aristotle's conception of happiness focuses on the activity of success and fulfillment (Green, R. M. G. A., 2013, p. 9). Aristotle considers happiness as an activity. For the businessperson this could mean receiving a promotion. Happiness is not a single activity, rather it is the consistent exercise of reason and appropriate virtues that lead to success and fulfillment (Green, R. M. G. A., 2013, p. 10). The virtues