Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics, Book Review Example

Aristotle’s classic exploration of the meaning of life, entitled Nicomachean Ethics (Aristotle), stands among the greatest books of all time. In the pages of his book Aristotle examines issues such as good and virtue, courage and temperance. In individual chapters Aristotle discusses the various moral virtues and compares them against the corresponding vices. For Aristotle, the highest good that man can achieve is happiness and attempting to reach that state is man’s ultimate goal. In writing Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle attempted to describe how man could best achieve happiness.

Aristotle believed that in order to reach happiness one must live a virtuous life (White). He does not attempt to define what a virtuous life but, instead, he defines it as a disposition to act in the right way. In Aristotle’s mind a virtuous man does not have to think about what it means to do the right thing he just does it and doing the right thing brings the virtuous man great pleasure.

Aristotle, however, viewed happiness much differently than most men. He did not see it as some form of honor or pleasure. Instead, it was state that defies definition or explanation. It is a complete state that needs nothing to complete it. Material things like personal wealth, friendships, and physical appearance play a part in attaining happiness but none of these things, by themselves, are sufficient to make one happy.

The only way to attain happiness in Aristotle’s world was by living a virtuous life. One of the most important virtues in Aristotle’s mind was moderation. Aristotle believed strongly that by maintaining moderation and avoiding extremes in either direction most men could avoid falling prey to vice which would then free one to go forward and seek what he described as potentiality. This potentiality for Aristotle did not necessarily mean amassing material wealth or power, but rather, moving forward toward that illusive concept of achieving happiness. In Aristotle’s mind, the entire purpose of life was potentializing toward happiness.

Potentiality according to Aristotle is the existence in everyone of attaining his or her own potential. The process, argued Aristotle was an evolutionary one where a person moves from imperfection to perfection or as close as anyone can get to perfection. Aristotle viewed this process as being involuntary and one that took place in nature as the world constantly attempts to improve itself.

Aristotle’s philosophies were particularly popular with the Christian philosophers and theologians who read him hundreds of years later. One of the most famous of the Catholic theologians, Thomas Aquinas, argued that Aristotle said everything needed within the context of his Nicomachean Ethics to achieve happiness in life (Kenny). In his book on ethics, Aristotle recognizes the existence of God. A God that Aristotle named the Unmoved Mover and who Aristotle argued was the first thing to ever exist, was separate from every other creature and matter in life, and different in form as well. Aristotle’s God is disinterested in the day to day affairs of men and assumes a detached position where He is free for self-contemplation. Aristotle defined contemplation as the “highest form of activity” because it allowed man to pursue rationality and intellect which are the human functions that distinguish man from the rest of the animal kingdom. Contemplation was what afforded man the chance to ponder God and nature and, therefore, a life of continuous contemplation was the ideal. Unfortunately, Aristotle also recognized that such a life was unrealistic. He recognized that a life of contemplation was not practical and that man must first be pragmatic in order to feed, house, and clothe himself but he still viewed continuous contemplation as the ultimate goal.

Beyond happiness, virtue, and contemplation, Aristotle also placed a high value on friendship (Pangle). Aristotle felt that it was important that humans not only do everything they could to cultivate friendships but that they should also treasure these relationships. Aristotle suggested that a true friend is like a spiritual double. A friend is a person who is there to help one through life’s difficulties and provide guidance and support.

As important as friendship is Aristotle also recognized that finding that one special, spiritual friend was difficult. In life, according to Aristotle, there are three different types of friendship: friendships based on usefulness; friendships based on pleasure; and friendship based on virtue. Friendships based on usefulness and pleasure can be endearing and long lasting but they last only as long as they provide usefulness and pleasure. A friendship based on virtue, however, is the ideal and the type that everyone should attempt to attain. Such a friend is genuine and is a necessity if one is to grow in virtue. Not everyone is capable of attaining a friendship based on virtue. Only the truly virtuous are capable of attaining and maintaining such a relationship.

Aristotle contributed to a great number of academic areas other than ethics but his ethical theories have withstood the test of time better than some of his other theories. Surprisingly, Aristotle’s discussions of human nature and problems are as valid today as they were two thousand years ago. Even the modern reader can identify with the concepts that Aristotle suggests and see validity in them. The fact that his thoughts and comments remain applicable even in modern society lends considerable support to their validity.

Works Cited

Aristotle. Nicomachaen Ethics. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co., 1999.

Kenny, Anthony. “Happiness.” Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society. London: Blackwell Publishing, 1965. 93-102.

Pangle, Lorraine Smith. Aristotle and the Philosophy of Friendship. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002.

White, Nicholas. “Conflicting Parts of Happiness in Aristotle’s Ethics.” Ethics (1995): 258-283.