Galen O’Neill Perspectives Professor Donnelly October 7‚ 2014 Understanding The Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle’s advice on living an excellent life in college and beyond would focus on the path towards attaining happiness. As the best‚ self-sufficient end and the highest form of good‚ happiness accompanies the acquisition of virtue through action and promotes pure character. Under Aristotle’s terms‚ balance rules the process of obtaining a life of excellence as it curbs extreme behavior and allows
Premium Nicomachean Ethics Ethics Plato
not teaching them better. While one might have been raised to know the difference between the right and wrong‚ who the person begins to associate himself with could change his/ her moral character. In The Nicomachean Ethics without virtues one can not be happy so a life lived making morally wrong decisions is a life that will not see happiness according to Aristotle. An example that best proves Aristotle’s thinking is one of a man losing his dog at a local park. The man searches all over for his
Premium Ethics Nicomachean Ethics Morality
Nicomachean ethics is the name of Aristotle’s work on ethics based on lectures he wrote. It is said that Nicomachean ethics were named after either Aristotle’s son or father as they were both named Nicomachus. Aristotle believed that happiness is what makes a person pure. To make this one virtue true‚ Aristotle believed that there were four moral virtues that worked together; the virtue of great soul‚ justice‚ practical judgment and being a truly good friend. From Aristotle’s notes‚ are ten books
Premium Plato Ethics Aristotle
Nicomachean Ethics is an ancient Grecian interpretation of what is now called “virtue ethics‚” a philosophical approach to morality that considers character rather than one’s duties in life or rules of one’s government. Aristotle contemplates issues such as a person’s purpose‚ rational thought‚ ethical actions‚ how one should frame one’s traits to be beneficial‚ and the undoubtedly lovely after-effects of acting on his advice. This seems adequate enough to serve as a useful tool of philosophical
Premium Ethics Reason Aristotle
In Aristotle’s lectures “Nicomachean Ethics‚” he says that every action and pursuit is thought to aim at something good. From his lectures I understood that the nature of the universe is infinite because everything people are able to do so many things and the results of those things can be good. In his lectures he says‚ “If we do not choose everything for the sake of something else (for at that rate the process would go on to infinity” this helps me understand that the universe has an infinite of
Premium Reason Nicomachean Ethics Happiness
Nicomachean Ethics Book III‚ Chapters 69 In Chapter 6 of Book III of Nicomachean Ethics‚ Aristotle teaches of how fear is not something that can be easily described. He talks about what fear means in terms of courage. To be courageous does not necessarily mean to be fearless. Aristotle goes on to explain that having fear‚ in some instances‚ can be “noble”. A very interesting note that he adds is that “For no one is better at enduring frightening things
Premium Plato Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics
The main idea of Aristotle’s Nicomachean ethic is that happiness is the end of all human beings’ action‚ which in today‚ still qualified to be a big idea. The whole society today is getting better comparing with the ancient time from all aspects‚ such as technology‚ culture or economic. But when we tend to the measure the level of happiness‚ it seems that people nowadays are not tending happier than the era of material scarcity; meanwhile‚ there is an increasing number of people try to find out what
Premium Ethics Nicomachean Ethics Eudaimonia
In Book I of Nicomachean Ethics‚ Aristotle states that the ultimate human goal or end is happiness. Aristotle describes the steps required for humans to obtain happiness. Aristotle states that activity is an important requirement of happiness. He states that a happy person cannot be inactive. He then goes on to say that living a life of virtue is something pleasurable in itself. The virtuous person takes pleasure in doing virtuous things. The role of virtue is an important one for Aristotle
Premium Virtue Courage Virtue ethics
The main idea behind Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics revolves around the form of happiness: happiness is the exercise of virtue‚ it is the drive for action‚ and it is the destination of purpose. In other words‚ happiness is final and self-sufficient. Being able to achieve happiness is rare‚ and not many people can obtain it because they have not mastered virtue. The great-souled man‚ however‚ has mastered virtue and is‚ therefore‚ considered the best kind of person. He is one who has surpassed the
Premium Plato Ethics Virtue
In Nicomachean Ethics‚ the Greek philosopher Aristotle explains how every action a man makes is so he can eventually achieve genuine happiness‚ fulfillment‚ and success. Attaining what the Greeks called ‘eudaimonia’ is incredibly difficult‚ as one must behave virtuously and with reason throughout his entire life. While there are a number of other requirements‚ Aristotle’s recognition of the great positive influence that friends have on one’s self proves that we cannot live a fulfilling life without
Premium Nicomachean Ethics Ethics Plato