Aristotles Theory of Friendship - Research Paper Example

Introduction Aristotle discussed friends and friendship in The Basic Works of Aristotle. Nicomecheani or Ethics written by Aristotle explains how hebelieved friendship worked, who needed it, and the basics of being a friend. Aristotle believed that no one would choose to be friendless. His thoughts on friendship will be given, and then positive and negative points will be given. Finally personal thoughts and critiques with a clear position will be presented. Aristotle’s thoughts on friendship can be common sense, but are as important today as they were during his time. Account of the theory The basis of Aristotle’s thoughts on friendship comes through observing everyday individuals. In his opinion no one would choose not to have friends (Aristotle 1155a5). The need for friends is an inheritably based human requirement. Aristotle went on to describe who needed friends: The rich, wealthy, powerful, and successful need friends in order to protect their positions (1155a5). The poor or unfortunate need friends to find safety (1155a12). The young need friends to keep their behavior in check (1155a13). The old need friends to have someone to take care of their needs as they grow feeble (1155a14) Healthy middle age people need friends to act nobly and so they have someone who can understand them (1155a15). Cities must have friendship among their citizens so the town can survive (1159a28). The just for an unexplainable motive (115a27). Voyagers need fellow voyager friends (1159a25). Soldiers need friends in order to have a cohesive unit among men that understood each other. (1155a18). Neighbors need to be friends for the sake of harmony (1155a19). Family need to be friends due to the naturalness of the relationship, especially between parent and children (1155a20). There is a variety of reasons to have or make a friend. However, Aristotle asserted that everyone wanted friends or friendship. Aristotle defined friendship as two people having goodwill for each other and being aware of the fact (1155b35). He went on to define goodwill as useful, good, and love of contentment (1155b35). Goodwill for a friend is to wish good things to happen for one’s friend. Not everything is considered a good thing according to Aristotle. He would not want to wish his friend to become a God because their friendship would end due to the inequality of the relationship. Another wish that would not be goodwill is to wish for everything to be good for your friend, because it would take from your own personal happiness. Aristotle thought to be a good friend; one had to be a friend to oneself first. There are three types of friendship. The first is friendship by acquaintance. The second is friendship by location. Finally, the third friendship is best friendship. Acquaintance friendship is those who meet each other on voyages. They share a voyage or trip, then might or might not keep in touch after the trip is over. These friendships tend to be fleeting. Some might develop into a deeper friendship, but not many. Soldiers are another type of acquaintance friendship. Location friendship is the friendships forged between neighbors and city dwellers. These types of friendships are necessary due to the tranquility needed in individuals that see each other everyday. Without this type of friendship, city states would have fallen during Aristotle’s time. Cities would not be able to function without the cooperation and goodwill of the citizens. Types of location friendships are neighborhoods, cities, and other places where individuals are friends due to location. These location friends make up neighborhoods, schools, and other necessities for the cities. Best friendship is the most precious friendship of all. Aristotle acknowledged that only a limited amount of people are virtuous, so best friends only come about rarely and slowly. Best friends are caused through the love of those that are virtuous and seek virtuous things. Since non-virtuous or loving peace individuals cannot have best friends to the extent of virtuous individuals. So to find true friendship should be the goal of all individuals. Since this can only be achieved by virtuous people, aspiring to be virtuous should be the goal of everyone. The individuals that need friends were listed above. However, why do humans need friendship at all? Humans are political. Friends are easier to live with than strangers. Humans need to see virtuous friends in action. It is satisfying to watch virtuous actions. Happiness is a continuous activity. Individuals cannot possess happiness. It is easier to interact with friends than be by one self. Friends nurture each others virtue. Friends help each other by timely reminding them to use their understanding, thus fulfilling both of their lives better. Friends are interchangeable with each other and themselves. A friend’s life is a choice equal to their friend. A friend will always be there to converse with. (Aristotle 1169b8-1170b25) Humans have a basic need for friendship. The relationships formed during an individual’s life are the necessary friendships, and in rare cases best friendship. Positive points or strengths of the theory Positive points or strengths of this theory are every single aspect is from Aristotle’s observation. The wealthy have a need for friends to secure their position in society. The poor and misfortunate need friends for safety and refuge. Younger children and youths need friends in order to shape their behavior in an acceptable way. The old must have friends to care for them as they grow weaker with age. Healthy adults need friends in order to have someone understand them. Cities must have friendships to make their city functional and a nice place to live in. The just has friends because they are just. Voyagers, soldiers, family, and neighbors all have to be friends in order to live fulfilling and peaceful lives. All of these points are true. Aristotle was using common sense. These facts cannot be disputed due to the logicalness of the argument used. Aristotle was also correct in stating that no one would choose to be friendless. Everyone wants friends. The only one who does not crave friendship is those who do not make friends easily. Then the friendless makes excuses as to why they have no friends. It generally is blamed on the other person. The friendless always tell themselves that it is everyone else that hates them. If Aristotle’s views were correct, the friendless have no friends due to the self hatred. When someone does not love themselves, they cannot love others. The three types of friendship are also very basic theories. Best friends are far and few between, occurring only with just people. This is true due to unjust individuals do not trust anyone, because they are thieves, murders, and liars. A true best friendship would need trust, which only the virtuous can obtain. Acquaintance friendships are also very common sense. Travelers today become acquaintance friends with their bus, subway, plane, and cruise ship passengers. Neighbors become friends in order to protect neighborhoods, schools, and other common causes. These types of friendships do exist. Negative points or weaknesses of the theory The negative points or weakness of the Aristotle’s friendship theory is the individuals that do not have friends, and do not feel the need for friends. Since Aristotle’s time society has made it easier for individuals to become isolated with no friends. Internet shopping and catalog shopping has made the need to go to the store to buy things unnecessary. The Internet has made working online a possibility. People do not have to leave their homes in today’s society. Not everyone needs a friend in today’s society. Today’s society does not always have friends that share goodwill. Politicians for example are colleagues and friends. However, when an issue that comes up between the parties divides friends there is no goodwill present. Business partners can have friendships, but still protect their own interests. If a business dissolves so does the friendship. Goodwill toward friends has become what can that friend do for me? This might have also been true during Aristotle’s day. Especially the goodwill the rich and wealthy needed to protect their positions. A Personal critique with a clear position. A personal critique of Aristotle’s theory on friendship is partially good and partially bad. The good personal critique is Aristotle’s theory on friendship is correct when concerning goodwill. True friends will have goodwill for each other. He was also right about only the virtuous having true friendships. There is no honor among thieves and no friendship as well. Criminals, gangs, and other groups where the actions are not virtuous do not have real friendships. An example would be Nazi Germany. The Nazis were a political group. However, every Nazi thought about what would happen to them personally first. No one stood up and said it is wrong to kill civilians, babies, and women. The Nazis would turn on parents, children, and even other Nazis. Since no goodwill exists between these types of people, no true friendship can occur. The negative review on Aristotle’s views on friendship is the fact everyone needs a friend. Not everyone needs a friend. Many hermits and recluses exist happily in their seclusion. These individuals are damaged. Like Aristotle surmised, friendless hermits and recluses have emotional damage. They probably do not like themselves. Still these people do not want friends. It is not something desirable for these people due to pain and personal experience. Aristotle’s theory of friendship is very well based due to his observations on people around him. Although it is not a personal belief that everyone needs friends, Aristotle had many good ideas that fit even today’s society. His thoughts on friendship are quite insightful. Most of his thoughts were correct. The one sliver that makes up the ‘everyone with a choice would not be friendship’ is the only flaw in this theory. All of the other elements, the type of people that are friends, types of relationship, and reasons stated by Aristotle are common sense. Conclusion Aristotle laid out a plan of who friends where, why friends are needed, and other basics on friendship. The goodwill that must be between two friends is one element. Another is an individual must love themselves to love a friend. Most people who can do want friends, even in today’s society. All of these observations were not completed through lengthy studies. Aristotle just watched the people around him to come to these conclusions. Almost all of his ideas still apply to this day. Humans have evolved a little bit due to technological changes, but much of Aristotle’s theory on friendship can be adapted to humans. Aristotle was a wise man, especially on friendship. Bibliography Aristotle. (2001). The Basic Works of Aristotle. Edited by Richard McKeon. New York: Random House. Read More