Essay On The Influence Of Aristotle

Essay on The Influence of Aristotle
Aristotle is considered by many to be The Fountainhead of modern scientific thinking. The forces that influenced Aristotle, is perhaps better understood
on a historic basis has been laid. The Greek thinkers around 600 BC, began to interrupt the world around them as governed by anything other than his
many personifications of gods and they took in a naturalistic way of thinking, which in turn was to the early science. This may have been sparked by
their enthusiasm for travel abroad, which may have made them skeptical of their traditions.2
Thales (ca. 640–546 BC) of Miletus is regarded to have been the founder of natural philosophy, and believed that all things come from water, and that
the Earth floats on water. From the time of Thales on,...show more content...
This principle can be taken a step further, to explain the biology, to say that the organs of the body work together to keep the organism as a whole.5
Further, Aristotle believed that human biology can not be understood except through surveys of similar creatures6
Biological principles were heavily influenced by Aristotle. William Harvey, the founder of modern physiology was strongly influenced by Aristotle and
"... founded much of his work on the Aristotelian assumption that the shape, structure and size of each organ in the body the animal indicated its
purpose and function of the entire system. "7 The idea of spontaneous generation was a commonly held belief, with roots back to Aristotle8 and was not
disproved until experiments were conducted by Louis Pasteur.9
Aristotle influenced Sigmund Freud, and while he studied at the university he studied Aristotle in three years and later added a course on Aristotle's
logic. Aristotle believed that the human mind given us a picture of the outside world, and that truth is in our eyes. Moreover, our first instance of
science experience and that happiness is found through reflection. Aristotle's view of organization, the higher levels include the lower levels is a way
to begin to understand some of Sigmund Freud's theories, such as libido theory and the supremacy of the genitals. Freud, as Aristotle might have matter
and form. "Early
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Essay On Aristotle
Aristotle was walking along shore when up in the distance he saw something shining in the light. He ran towards the object and scooped it up. With
much confusion, he ran his fingers across the buttons that lined the bottom half. As he applied pressure, the top half lit up and an apple appeared on
the screen. He dazed at it in perplex. He sat down in the sand and got comfortable readying to experiment on the object. His fingers found a pad that
seemed to make an arrow on the screen light up and moved around. As he moved such arrow along the bottom of the screen, the images enlarged.
While moving back and forth throughout he wondered what would happen if he applied pressure again. He clicked an image and the screen changed. A
white, blank...show more content...
This sensitivity to touch related to the sensitive soul. It was able It contained awareness of a user touching it and forcing it to do specific tasks.
Lastly, the device was able to create energy and release heat in the process, allowing it to breathe. The hierarchy of the souls are listed in the order of
vegetative soul, sensitive soul, and lastly rational soul. A vegetative soul would closely relate to that of a plant. It is able to reproduce and develop. It
cannot however, create impressions nor can is process thought. The sensitive soul can react and create impressions, but it cannot show logic either. The
rational soul has all of the qualities of vegetative and sensitive souls. It can reproduce, react, and think logically. The most shown rational soul would be
the human. Humans are able to conduct the tasks of all the souls. An animal, unlike the human, does not contain imagination in being able to calculate
problems or have reactions that cause impressions. The object found on the shore was closely related to human qualities. The reproduction and use of
energy was different than how exactly humans do these things. However, it is still done by the newly found thing. Since the human's rational soul was
all Aristotle could compare it to it was hard for him to be completely sure that it contained a rational soul, being that it conducted things differently.
However, there were no other options for him to choose considering it could not be vegetative nor sensitive.

Aristotle and the Highest Form of Pleasure
After nine books of contemplating different aspects of the human good, Aristotle uses this opportunity to claim contemplation as the highest form of
pleasure. The final book in Nicomachean Ethics is concerned with pleasures: the understanding of each kind, and why some pleasures are better than
other pleasures. The book is essentially divided into two main parts, being pleasure and happiness. I will use Terence Irwin's translation and
subdivisions as a guiding map for my own enquiry, and any quotation from will be taken from this text. Irwin divides the book into three sections:
Pleasure, Happiness: Further discussion, and Ethics, Moral Education and Politics. With this order in place,...show more content...
St. Thomas Aquinas responds similarly to this in saying:
It hardly seems correct for people to say what they do not believe–that pleasures are just evil to withdraw us from them, because in questions of human
actions and passions we give less credence to words that to actions. For if a man does what he says is evil, he incites by his example more than he
restrains by his word (Aquinas, 862).
Following the lead of both Aristotle and Aquinas, it becomes clearer that neither believe that it is pleasure is evil in itself. Since the groundwork is then
laid out, and there can be no objection to Aristotle's calling pleasure what it is, he proceeds with his arguments. At 1172b10 Aristotle marks that that no
sound argument can prove that pleasure is the good. He then uses Eudoxus' arguments as his starting point. Eudoxus thought that pleasure is in the
category of the good, and divided his thoughts into three parts. For each of the parts, I will quote in full, to ensure that the arguments are not
misinterpreted. In the first, he saw that those animals:
Both rational and non–rational seek it. (b) In everything, what is choiceworthy is decent, and what is most choiceworthy is supreme. (c) Each thing
finds its own good, just as it finds its own nourishment. (d) Hence, when all things are drawn to the same thing [i.e. pleasure], this indicates that it is
best for all. (e) And what is good for all, what all aim at is the

Frequently discussed and debated are the ideas and philosophies of Aristotle. Larger than life, Aristotle had substantial influence on the formation and
methodology of science as a whole, as well as specific disciplines. Many of his theories were well beyond the knowledge of ancient Greece (or what
they thought they knew), and only in recent history has the science community begun to discover that many of Aristotle's theories were actually quite
close to reality. In addition, many of his theories brought questions to light that are still being considered and debated today. For example, one source
contrasts Aristotle's theories about when life begins to recent research on embryogenesis (Dunstan, 1988). From animal behavior to medicine, ethics
and philosophy to theorizing on when life begins, Aristotle left a significant mark on what we call science. The first work examined was written by
J.G. Lennox, who is a Professor of History and Philosophy of Science and Director of the Center for Philosophy of Science at the University of
Pittsburgh. According to his biography, he focuses especially on Aristotle and Charles Darwin. He has authored and edited several volumes. This article
is Lennox's response to an article written by Geoffrey Lloyd, who holds an opposing viewpoint. Regardless, he work corresponds directly to the overall
point at hand: Aristotle's long standing and ongoing influence in the scientific community. In his introduction, Lennox discusses how in the 4th

Aristotle Essay
Aristotle
Aristotle was born in 384 BC, at Stagira, in Macedonia, the son of a physician to the royal court. At the age of 17, he went to Athens to study at
Plato's Academy. He remained there for about 20 years, as a student and then as a teacher. When Plato died in 347BC, Aristotle moved to Assos, a city
in Asia Minor, to counsel Hermias, the ruler. After Hermias was captured and executed by the Persians in 345BC,Aristotle went to Pella, the
Macedonian capital, where he became the tutor of the king's young son Alexander, later known as Alexander the Great. In 335, when Alexander
became king, Aristotle returned to Athens and established his own school, the Lyceum. Upon the death of Alexander in 323BC, strong anti
–Macedonian
...show more content...
Aristotle regarded the world as made up of individuals (substances) occurring in fixed natural kinds (species). Each individual has its built–in specific
pattern of development and grows toward proper self–realization as a specimen of its type. Growth, purpose, and direction are thus built into nature.
The most distinguishing of Aristotle's philosophic contributions was a new notion of causality. Each thing or event, he thought, has more than one
"reason" that helps to explain what, why, and where it is. Therefore something can be better understood when its causes can be stated in specific terms
rather than in general terms.
Economics
Economics is a word made up from two Greek words "oikos", meaning household, and "nomos", meaning to manage. From the start, then, the word
"economic" was associated with the close supervision and management necessary to ensure provisions to a community. The management concerned,
however, was that of the "household", so that "economic" was used as equivalent to "domestic", and economics in ancient and mediaeval times was a
term used to distinguish the economy of the household (oikos) from that of the city (polis). For Aristotle, therefore, Economics and Politics meant two
different studies and arts. (Boland, par. 2)
According to Aristotle, we should avoid using the expression "managing" the economy when we mean the political economy. The public community is
not a household "run" by

Aristotle Essay
Aristotle was born in Stagira, located in northern Greece, in 384 B.C. He died in Chalcis, on the Aegean island of Euboea, in 322 B.C. Aristotle's
father had been court physician to the Macedonian king Amyntas II. Aristotle lost both of his parents when he was child, and was brought up by a
friend of the family.
Aristotle wrote 170 books, 47 of which still exist more than two thousand years later. Aristotle was also a philosopher who wrote about ethics,
psychology, economics, theology, politics, and rhetoric. Later inventions like the telescope and microscope would prove many of Aristotle's theories to
be incorrect, but his ideas formed the basis of modern science....show more content...
These lines to us are known as lines of latitude and lines of longitude.
Apparently, Aristotle was not an experimentalist for all that he was a close observer. He observed thatrocks fell more quickly than feathers, but he made
no attempt to arrange an observation of the falling of rocks of graded weight.
Aristotle's system of philosophy was never as influential in ancient times as Plato's. Aristotle's works may not have been published for some centuries
after his death. After the fall of Rome, his work was lost to Europe, while Plato's works were, for the most part, retained. However, Aristotle's books
survived among the Arabs, who valued them highly. Christian Europe regained Aristotle from the Arabs, translating his books into Latin in the twelfth
and thirteenth centuries. From that time Aristotle replaced Plato as the Philosopher.
Most people in Aristotle's time believed the earth was flat, but Aristotle concluded that the earth was round. He realized that a lunar eclipse occurred
when the earth came between the sun and the moon. He observed that the shape of the earth's shadow was round. If the earth was flat its shadow would
have a much different shape.
Aristotle is considered to be the first scientist, and he started off a revolutionary way of thinking, which has shaped our daily lives. Every thing we do
and

Essay about Aristotle's Ethics
Aristotle's thoughts on ethics conclude that all humans must have a purpose in life in order to be happy. I believe that some of the basics of his ideas
still hold true today. This essay points out some of those ideas.
It was Aristotle's belief that everything, including humans, had a telos or goal in life. The end result or goal was said to be happiness or "eudaimonia".
He explained that eudaimonia was different for each person, and that each had a different idea of what it meant. Further, he said that people must do
things in moderation, but at the same time do enough. The theory, of "the golden mean of moderation" was the basis to Aristotle's idea of the human
telos and concluded that living a virtuous life must be the same for all...show more content...
He said was also important to understand the acts performed towards virtue, because it directly related to the character of the resulting morals.
Aristotle felt that fear and pain influenced ethics, as people would avoid that which he/she was scared of and/or that would cause pain. He believe
friendships to be vital in order to be a good person, and that it required "reciprocal and explicit goodwill". Aristotle taught that friendships were
uncommon, but could be achieved requiring time to build familiarity and trust. He claimed that this perfect virtue must be achieved and maintained for
the lifetime.
Aristotle lists honor, pleasure, and wealth as the things believed to make humans happy. He believed that because honor could be easily taken away it
was superficial and that pleasure, although enjoyable, was merely an "animal like quality". Wealth was described as a vehicle to achieve greater status.
The moderation of the three vices could be achieved but would not, in–itself produce or guarantee eudaimonia. Instead, Aristotle was of the opinion that
wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice, would better lead person to happiness.
As one reads though the translations of Aristotle's thoughts, you begin to realize the complexity, yet the common sense of his work. Modern day
people have a goal in life, to achieve a certain amount of success and to live life relatively happy. Most agree that to get to that goal, the populous must
conform and participate

Aristotle is not a sort of Plato's sort, but the philosophical ideas cannot be ignored. There is a belief in God in Aristotle. He consider god as creator of
everything and this show a spiritual outlook of him. According to him every phenomenon has two aspects– form and matter. Aristotle gives
significances to what constitutes matter whereas Plato believes in everything that what is visible is the shadow of the form. Aristotle also believes that
man's soul has two parts– logical and illogical and through ethical virtues, man attains rationality, the logical part of the soul. If in his Ethics, Aristotle
discusses he nature if individual happiness in the Politics he treats of the state as one of the chief aims through which individual attains...show more
content...
Both Plato and Aristotle see in the polis more than a state. The polis is for both a community as well as a state, state as well as a government,
government as well as a school, school as well as a religion. What is common between Plato and Aristotle is that both regard the polis as a means
for the attainment of complete life. The sate begins with the satisfaction of basic wants but as it developed it came to perform more elevated aims
essential for good life. Aristotle says, "But a state exist for the sake of a good life, and not for the sake of life only." The state is the highest form of
political union for it represented the pinnacle of social

Aristotle Virtue Ethics Essays
Aristotle's Virtue Ethics
The philosophy of virtue ethics, which primarily deals with the ways in which a person should live, has puzzled philosophers from the beginning of
time. There are many contrasting interpretations regarding how one should live his or her life in the best way possible. It is in my opinion that the
Greeks, especially Aristotle, have exhibited the most logical explanation of how to live the "good life". The following paper will attempt to offer a
detailed understanding of Aristotle's reasoning relating to his theory of virtue ethics. In order to explain the fundamentals of Aristotle's Virtue Ethics,
one must acknowledge his primary motive in this study, which is to understand what it means to live well. Unlike...show more content...
To find out what the function of a human being is, Aristotle looks at what is distinctive about humans. He discovers that the good of the human is to
act in accord with reason well, which can translate into acting in accord with virtue. One cannot have happiness without virtue, just as it is impossible
to be virtuous with the absence of rational thinking. Because man is a rational creature, rather than plants which are vegetative, happiness for man must
include the excellent functioning of the rational faculties.
Aristotle found that there are two kinds of virtues of the soul. First, there are virtues of thought, such as wisdom. Next, there are virtues of character,
such as generosity. The main focus of his virtue ethics lies in the virtues of character. Aristotle assumed that these virtues are learned through habit.
For example, whereas intellectual virtue may arise from reading a book, the adoption of virtuous character is inherited solely by practice. Therefore,
it is through a person's upbringing that moral virtues are cultivated, and it is through the habit of thinking virtuously that one can excel towards
happiness. It is important to note that virtue not just a matter of behavior. If someone performs an act of generosity but is pained by it, then he or she
is not really generous (does not really possess the virtue of generosity), and has not really acted generously. This can be deceiving at times, because it
is easily disguised from the

Essay on Politics by Aristotle
The subject which the question focuses on is the view of Aristotle's ideal state. The distinction between hierarchy and equality is at the heart of the
understanding of Aristotle's ideal state. He claims that an ideal state ought to be arranged to maximise the happiness of its citizens. So happiness
together with political action is the telos of human life. This end can be reached by living a better ethical life. However, he endorses hierarchy over
equality. On one hand we have the equality which benefits everyone; on the other hand we have the distinction of classes meant in terms of diversities
and differences where the middle one appears to be the means through which the state is balanced. Furthermore what is clear for Aristotle is that...show
more content...
I will now start with the analysis of the relevance in an ideal state of ruling and being ruled. Aristotle's view on this is clear, he says that citizens
should rule and be ruled in turn. He claims that those who rule and those who obey are the same. At this level, therefore, Aristotle seems to praise
equality. He says:
"... it is obviously necessary on many grounds that all the citizens alike should take their turn of governing and being governed. Equality consists in the
same treatment of similar persons, and no government can stand which is not founded upon justice. For if the government be unjust everyone in the
country unites with the governed in the desire to have a revolution ..."
I strongly agree with this concept of the cyclical flow of power. I find it as a perfect way to achieve a well–spread equality in society and for this
reason it is needed to have a more equal distribution of justice. In addition to this he then argues that: "... for he who would learn to command well
must [...] first of all learn to obey." He thinks that those who were firstly ruled, when they have power they will rule in a better way, because they
will understand the meaning of being ruled. I once again agree with this view, I believe that this mutual change of roles lets citizens think more
carefully on the meaning of ruling and being ruled. As a matter of fact, if we want to live in a state where justice is its main feature we have to prevent
the

Aristotle Function Argument Essay
Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics, aims to explain the necessary to achieve the highest–state of human happiness. A significant argument Aristotle
proposes is the function argument, which aims to demonstrate that humans have a unique function that differs from all other living beings. In effect,
this essay aims to explain Aristotle's function argument, give a critique of his conclusion, then offer a possible Aristotelian response.
Firstly, Aristotle proposes in our pursuit to attaining the highest good, a concept that must be understood is what the function of a human is (1097b,
25). In effect, by comprehending what the human function is, we will be able to direct it towards achieving the finer actions of life that would satisfy our
...show more content...
Secondly, some individuals take genuine delight in activities that are not related to the faculties of reason, and some individuals perform these activities
better than they can reason. An example is an amazing guitarist who frequently makes bad life–choices. Though the agent finds playing the guitar is an
activity that is complete, they may also be deficient in the Aristotelian modes of reasoning. However, it would be controversial to say the guitarist is less
human, because they don't satisfy the standards of critical reasoning. Consequently, many would argue it would be incorrect to propose that reasoning
is the sole function of humans, because we possess many other skills.
Aristotle would respond that the actions of reasoning is the human function, because it is a consistent activity that is always occurring in the mental
background of the agent. This is because we align the faculty of reasoning to perform certain actions, which enables us to attain a complete good from
the activity. Insofar that we apply the uses of reasoning to perform complex actions finely. This is the unique idea behind the concept of reasoning,
because to perform a complex action we need to deliberate what will enable us to properly/safely perform the activity. Arguably, the uses of reasoning
is continually active whenever we are learning/performing a complex action. Furthermore, those who take genuine delight in an

Aristotle 's Views On Justice Essay
The philosophical argument of what defines justice is a debate that has persisted since the origins of human society. Socrates in Plato's Republic
states that "So long as I do not know what the just is, I shall hardly know whether it is a virtue or not and whether the one who has it is unhappy or
happy"(The Republic, Pg 34). Without knowledge on what justice means, it is impossible to determine if an action is good or bad. Aristotle views
Justice as an appropriate balance of virtues away from vices. The equilibrium between vices is where Aristotle defines Justice. Therefore the
correction of injustices and return to balance is viewed as just and good. By these philosophies justice can be viewed as a form of fairness between
elements. Applying this understanding to social issues, social justice would be defined as balance between all social elements. Just social actions would
be ones that correct the imbalances that exist within society. By this reasoning however, social justice becomes the end result rather than the means to
an end.
An article in The Canadian Nurse defines social justice as `the fair distribution of society's benefits, responsibilities and their consequences.'(NURSE)
The social position of one social group in relation to another is viewed as the cause of inequality and disparities. Social justice seeks to mitigate these
disparities by questioning if society is 'just'. The article assumes the default definition of justice as fairness between social

Essay on Aristotle
An ethical issue that is debated in our society is the concern of driving while intoxicated. Although this was naturally not the case during
Aristotle&#8217;s time, many of his ethical beliefs can be applied to refute this dilemma. I will prove the standing issue to be unethical through
Aristotle&#8217;s discussion of virtue and his concept of voluntary/involuntary actions in the Nicomachean Ethics.
Aristotle believed that of the virtues learned in our youth, each has a respective excess and deficiency. The virtue is the mean (or midpoint) of the
excess and deficiency. The mean can be thought of as &#8220;just right';, and the extremities can be labeled as &#8220;vices';. The mean
should not be thought of as the geometric...show more content...
&#8220;Thus, in one word, states arise out of like activities'; (Aristotle 377). This may be the case with a child who is reared in an alcohol
abusive family. Say the child&#8217;s father frequently drove while intoxicated and the child was lead to believe that this was okay. Although
this does not make it ethical, or lawful for that matter, for the child to drive drunk, it simply may have been a reason why. &#8220;It makes no
small difference, then, whether we form habits of one kind or of another from our very youth; it makes a very great difference, or rather all the
difference'; (Aristotle 377). Although this may be the reason why in this situation, it does not justify the learned activity; this is the rationale of
Aristotle. Aristotle believed that although our actions are the results of our learning, virtue still involves rational choice. He is saying that if we have
not been taught what is the moral excellence (the &#8220;midpoint'; of the two vices), of a particular action or behavior, we still have the ability
to attain excellence through choice. If a drunk driver chooses to continue driving drunk (the vice), he will never attain moral excellence.
Aristotle believed that practicing virtue leads to a virtuous circle, in which the more you abstain from a vice, the easier it becomes to abstain.
Eventually, performing virtuous activities becomes habit. This again can be related to the topic at

Reflection of Aristotle Essay
Reflection of Aristotle Aristotle believed that the goal of all human life is to achieve ultimate happiness. Happiness is the final Utopia or the end of
"a life worth living." Human instinct is characterized by achieving personal fulfillment, thus leading to happiness. Aristotle warns against going astray
and "preferring a life suitable to beasts" by assuming happiness and pleasure are equal. Living a life preferred by beasts incapacitates a person from
achieving the end Utopia. Even though Aristotle does not equate the two, he does stress that minimal pleasure is required to achieve happiness.
Someone lacking in vital necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter are not capable of achieving happiness due to their lack of pleasure....show more
content...
A moral person will make choices out of good faith; choosing what is good for the sake of being good. Moral choices must be done voluntarily not
by coincidence or ignorance. Someone cannot be deemed a hero due to their own mishap. Someone accidentally going the wrong way down a
one–way–street blocks a get–away car from passing. The traffic–violator cannot take credit for stopping the criminals due to coincidence by his default
in directions. Actions done by ignorance cannot be rationalized to be substantially moral. A person may act by reason of ignorance or act in
ignorance. Acting by reason of ignorance is done by acting on good intentions without realizing potential danger and does not exempt a person from
morality. A nurse distributing milk to patients may give a lactose intolerant patient chocolate milk instead of soy milk not realizing that the chocolate
milk will make the patient sick (which she would definitely loose her job). The nurse had good intentions but she fell short and caused more damage.
Acting in ignorance cannot be justified to due incapacitation or other unusual circumstances. A drug user cannot justify a bank robbery because of the
voices in his head. If he would not have participated in drug use then the voices would not have told him to rob a bank. Actions done due to fear or
accident are exempt from the moral realm. Aristotle taught that a virtuous person must obtain both dimensions in order to achieve

Aristotle 's Impact On Today 's Society Essay
Since the beginning of the human's existence, there have been so many great different concepts from various philosophers that have shaped the
structure, knowledge and behaviors that we still exercise in our current world. Philosophy as the fundamental nature of knowledge has contributed to
the development of our thoughts and the structure of our societies. Many great philosophers left the presence of their idea implanted in our world for
the rest of human life. One central leader that contributed in the philosophical views of ideas, realism and morality of life was the greatest philosopher
of all time "Aristotle". This essay will focus on two of Aristotle's major impact on today's society. These two great essays are, "The Politics" and "The
Nicomachean Ethics". Aristotle influenced by previous work from his professor the great philosopher Plato developed ideas of moralities, virtues and
ethics of how man should best live, how can we find the truth also how can we explain the world around us. Throughout history there have been
many philosophers who have tried to shape the world with their philosophical concepts to make an action a universal law of morality that gives us
options to choose a freely moral or legal alternative rather than another one. The concepts revealed by Aristotle's work have inculcated the way we
actually behave and apply ethics to our everyday duties that would lead us to the supreme good "Eudaimonia" 'Human Flourishing', happiness. All
theories

People such as Buddhist monks devote their lives to the search for virtue through isolation and meditation. Others believe that just simply living your
life as a generous person and practicing self–preservation is virtuous. These two different, yet similar ideas of virtuous living came from the two
philosophers known as Aristotle and Jean–Jacques Rousseau and their works in the Nicomachean Ethics and Discourse on The Origin of Inequality.
Aristotle believed that the individual had to meet multiple qualifications in order to truly be virtuous; rather than Rousseau who thought a virtuous
person simply needed to preserve their own life and have the virtue pity, or defined by him as your natural impulses. While they both disagree on
whether impulse or habit is the key to becoming virtuous or even what virtue is, they agree that we pursue the virtuous life in order to avoid pain.
Jean–Jacques Rousseau in The Origin of Inequality talks briefly about a savage man in the state of nature and what makes him virtuous. Rousseau
said, "Qualities that can harm an individual's preservation 'vices' in him and those than can contribute to its 'virtues.' In that case it would be necessary
to call the one who least resists the simple impulses of nature the most virtuous,"(35). When reading this, one can clearly see Rousseau depicts the
virtuous person being the savage man who gives into his impulses. He believes that man should only fulfill his natural impulses of sex, sleep, and food
in

Aristotle Essay examples
Aristotle believes that happiness is the ultimate goal in life. You can't reach happiness unless you work hard and become successful. That is where
virtue comes into play. A human's function is to engage in "an activity of the soul which is in accordance with virtue" and which "is in conformity with
reason" (page 76, Palmer). The two kinds of virtue are intellectual and moral. Our virtues are what make us all individual and all different. Intellectual
virtues are what we are born with and what we learn. It is our nature as humans and what we have inherited that makes desire to learn. As humans, we
develop wisdom to help guide us to a good life. With the intellectual virtue you develop two different kinds of wisdom: practical and...show more
content...
We are born with faculties like we are with passions. "We are not made up of good or bad nature; we are not praised nor blamed"(page 225,
Mayfield). This quote is explaining with passions and faculties are how we feel and desire which is neither right nor wrong, good or bad. Since
passions and faculties are not defined, state of character is virtue. State of character is our actions and our habits. "The virtue of man also will be
the state of character which makes a man good and which makes him do his own work well" (page 225, Mayfield). In order to have true virtue you
need to act to "accordance with a golden mean of moderation" (page 78, Palmer). This means that you need to find an intermediate so you will be
praised and succeed. You can't take too much or too little. Too much for someone could be too little for someone else, therefore each person needs to
find their own individual mean.
"For we may be said to desire all things as means to something else except indeed happiness, as happiness is the end or perfect state" (page 230,
Mayfield). As Aristotle said that our ultimate goal is happiness but in order to reach happiness you have to succeed. "Relaxation then is not an end.
We enjoy it as a means to activity; but it seems that the happy life is a life of virtue, and such a life is serious, it is not one of mere amusement. We
speak of serious things too as better than things which are ridiculous and amusing, and of the activity of

Aristotle on Friendship Essay
Aristotle on Friendship
We are social creatures. We surround ourselves with other human beings, our friends. It is in our nature. We are constantly trying to broaden the
circumference of our circle of friends. Aristotle understood the importance of friendship, books VIII and IX of the Nicomachean Ethics deal solely
with this topic. A modern day definition of a friend can be defined as "one joined to another in intimacy and mutual benevolence independently of
sexual or family love". (Oxford English Dictionary). Aristotle's view on friendship is much broader than this. His arguments are certainly not flawless.
In this essay I will outline what Aristotle said about friendship in the Nichomachaen Ethics and highlight possible...show more content...
Both have something the other wants. These friendships do not last very long as once the buyer is no longer useful to the salesman, or visa versa, the
connection is severed and the friendship ceases to be. Friendships of utility are common among old people, for in old age people pursue the useful
rather than the pleasant.
2. Friendships of Pleasure
Friendships of pleasure are based on the amount of pleasure the people get from being in the relationship. People who go to football matches together,
or who go to the pub together might be in this type of relationship. They are friends for their own sake, because the friendship brings them pleasure
and enjoyment, not for their friend's sake. Friendships of pleasure are common among young people. Young people quickly become friends and quickly
cease to be friends because what pleasures them changes constantly.
3. Friendships of Virtue
Friendships of virtue, unlike friendships of utility and pleasure, which can include a circle of friends, are strictly one on one relationships. These
types of friendships can only occur between two people of the same virtues and both persons have to be virtuous. One can only become virtuous
through wisdom and age. Therefore friendships of virtue are not found among young people. It is a relationship of mutual respect and love. The
persons in this type of relationship are not in it because they gain something from the relationship, they are not friends because

Essay on Analysis of Aristotle's The Politics
An Analysis of Aristotle's The Politics
In "The Politics", Aristotle would have us believe that man by nature is a political animal. In other words, Aristotle seems to feel that the most natural
thing for men to do is to come together in some form of political association. He then contends that this political association is essential to the pursuit of
the good life. Finally he attempts to distinguish what forms of political association are most suitable to the pursuit of this good life. In formulating a
critique of "The Politics", we shall first examine his claims as to what is natural to man and whether the criterion of the natural is sufficient to
demonstrate virtue. We shall then examine what it is about political association that...show more content...
How self–sufficiency is natural is not something the man seems to want to delve into. The analysis of politics as something natural however seems to
clash with his idea that the legislator is a craftsman of the law. If politics is indeed a craft and of the domain of technique, then how is it natural?
What is more natural to man than politics is reason. All men possess some capacity of reason through which they order their lives and make sense of
their natural inclinations. As Aristotle does point out, men can have all kinds of natural inclinations and most men are gregarious creatures. Does this
mean that politics is reason applied to relationships among men? Unfortunately, as we have seen, there are many kinds of human relationships that
involve reason without necessarily involving politics. So we come to the conclusion that either politics are not natural or something else along with
reason is natural among humans and necessitates political activity.
So which is it? Politics is the institutional framework where mankind's capacity to reason reconciles itself with its desires. This process that naturally
goes on inside man's head is also a dialogue between men as soon as the capacity to communicate ideas is explored. Admitting that politics is natural
however is merely a descriptive statement. The question I would bring up as I do in "Enchiridion" is what we should make of this nature. Saying that
man is naturally political does not tell us whether

Essay On The Influence Of Aristotle

Essay On The Influence Of Aristotle

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