Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics - Essay Example

of Lecturer 3 December Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics Whether or not lawmakers are more serious about justice or friendship would be seen from the arguments that would be presented in this paper. A logical conclusion would be reached and the reason for the assertion would also be established in this short paper. The argument put forward in Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics is that lawmakers are more serious about friendship than justice. The reason for this is that, the lawgivers believe that, friendship is actually the bond that holds states together and for the states to continue being closely knitted into one; they must not treat the issue of friendship with levity.

The lawmakers’ premise is that, when there is friendship amongst people, they would not be clamoring for justice in the first place (Aristotle). This could be true if one considers the fact, that it is only an individual that is at loggerhead with his partner that would be suing for justice from the other party (Aristotle Chapter 1. par.2). Though it is really difficult to say whether the lawmakers are really more serious about justice than friendship or not. The reason for this is that, the two of them seem to go pari passu.

In spite of this seemingly anomaly, one of the issues that seem to be more on the hearts of the lawgivers as they believe that, the issue of justice only comes to the fore when there is love lost between two parties. Thus, the lawgivers hold the issue of friendship closer to their hearts than justice. It would then be right to say that, the lawgiver lends more credence to the issue of justice. It should also be noted that, just like there is no real justice in the world today, true friendship is also a mirage.

Thus, the lawmakers showing preference for one over the other means that, the other one is also equally important. Also, the fact that, friendship is more of an imaginary thing means that the lawmakers are actually not really taking either friendship or justice as serious as the other.Work CitedAristotle.A (2000). Nicomachean Ethics. 2nd ed. (R. Crisp Trans.) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics. Retrieved from http://www.constitution.org/ari/ethic_00.htm 3 December, 2011