Nicomachean Ethics

ALCALA / BILLONES / BONGOSIA / CABARRABANG /

CAMERINO / CANARES / CAPATI / CARILLO
Introduction
● Author : Aristotle
○ Successor of Plato and Socrates
○ Refutations on Plato’s Theory
○ true wisdom comes from examining the objects of experience
and not from trying to look beyond them
○ Critical on Plato’s form of Good - there is not a single Form by
virtue of which all good things are good
○ He discusses at length the multiplicity of the various virtues
● Impact on Ethics: Telology (end goal)
● Human beings are “rational animals” hence our telos is
rational
Introduction
● Our goal in life is to achieve our true nature
● Ethics is a “Practical Science”
○ these sciences deal with the practical aspects of
human society and how best to arrange this
society.
● The goal of the Ethics is to determine how best to
achieve happiness.
● Nicomachean Ethics - dedicated to his father or son(?) -
Nichomachus
BOOK 1

● Every human activity is aimed towards a greater good,

whether it is done as a means to an end, or for its own
sake.
● The greatest good is happiness (eudaimonia)
● Happiness can come in a variety of forms. Depending on
the individual
● Happiness, is not just an emotional state, but also the
sense of fulfillment and flourishment
● The telos of humans is to exercise our rational soul
BOOK 2

● Highlights the virtue of character

● Virtue of character is a consequence of following the right
habits.
● Human nature gives the potential for growth of virtues, but
Human Nature itself does not dictate if the virtue is present.
● The essence of nature and nurture, rather than nature vs.
nurture is argued as the basis of habit.
BOOK 3 and 4

● Moral virtue as a conscious choice

● Types of actions
○ Voluntary
○ Involuntary
○ Non-voluntary
● Mean, excess and deficiency
○ If, for example, fear and confidence are the focus, the mean would
be courage, deficiency would be cowardice, and excess would be
rash behaviour
● Choice is the best measure of moral goodness
BOOK 4: Virtues vs. Vices

Virtues vs. Vices

● Liberality vs. Prodigality vs Illiberality

● Magnanimity vs. Conceited vs Pusillanimous
● Amiability vs. Overeagerness vs. Quarrelsome

Aristotle tells us that we cannot take the virtues piecemeal: we cannot consider a
person to be truly virtuous unless that person possesses all the virtues.
BOOK 5: Justice and Morals

● The relationship between morals or virtues and justice, or if a

dichotomy exists between the two
○ When is something just considered virtuous or vicious, and when is
something virtuous unjust?
● Domestic Justice (Respect) and Political Justice (Law)
● Not everything is black or white
○ Injustice due to ignorance (Mistakes)
○ Injustice due to undesired circumstances (Misadventures or
accidents)
○ Injustice with intent, but without premeditation (Injury)
BOOK 6: Intellectual Virtues

● Soul
○ Rational Part
○ Irrational Part
● Rational Part
○ Contemplative
○ Calculative
BOOK 6: Intellectual Virtues

● 5 Intellectual Virtues
○ Scientific Knowledge
○ Art or Technical Skill
○ Prudence or Practical Wisdom
○ Intuition
○ Wisdom
BOOK 6: Intellectual Virtues

● Intellectual virtues lead to happiness, and so are ends

in themselves.
● Intellectual virtues help us determine the best means to
the ends at which the moral virtues teach us to aim.
● Without prudence and cleverness, a well-disposed
person can never be truly virtuous, because these
intellectual virtues help us grasp the right principles of
action.
BOOK 7: Incontinence and
Pleasure
Three Bad States of Character:

● Evils or vices (kakia), the opposites of virtues

● Incontinence (akrasia), the opposite of self-
restraint
● Being beast-like, or brutish (thêoriotês)
BOOK 7: Incontinence and
Pleasure
Licentiousness and Incontinence

● Being incontinent is better than being licentious

● It is better to do bad things from lack of self-control
than from conscious choice
BOOK 7: Incontinence and
Pleasure
Pleasure

● Pleasure is harmful only in a limited sense

● we seek the good life precisely because it is pleasurable
● Pleasures of the body are bad only if taken to excess.
Nonetheless, pleasures of the mind are preferable
BOOK 8 AND 9: Friendship and
Partnership
According to Aristotle, there are three kinds of
friendship/partnership

● Based on utility or usefulness

● Based on pleasure
● Based on the pursuit of goodness
BOOK 8 AND 9: Friendship and
Partnership
● Friendship and justice are closely related as both ties
communities together
● Aristotle mentioned three kinds of political constitutions

-monarchy

-aristocracy

-timocracy
BOOK 8 AND 9: Friendship and
Partnership
● Friendship is not just necessary, but also noble.
● Friendship depends more on loving than on being
loved.
BOOK 10: Pleasure, happiness,
and up-bringing
THE THEORY OF PLEASURE

● Pleasure is a good pursued..

● Pleasure on Theory of Motion..
● Pleasure doesn’t seem to last..
BOOK 10: Pleasure, happiness,
and up-bringing
Happiness

● Pleasure alone cannot be happiness

BOOK 10: Pleasure, happiness,
and up-bringing
The need for education, habituation and good laws

● The discussion of the Ethics has not reached its aim if it

has no effect in practice.
● Requires good education
Thank you for listening!