Hence a young man is not a proper hearer of lectures on political science. In other words, to understand whats good, one must be acquainted with the good. Nicomachean ethics 5 good judge of that subject, and the man who has received an allround education is a good judge in general. According to aristotle, every craft, line of inquiry, action, and decision seeks some end, or good, but these goods differ. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The goal of the ethics is to determine how best to achieve happiness. Nicomachean ethics summary and analysis of book one. Politics is not a precise science, since what is best for one person may not be best for another. It needs to apply to real situations in life, to different virtues, and in different amounts. This study is necessarily imprecise, since so much depends on particular circumstances. The highest human good, then, is that activity that is an end in itself. Aristotle acknowledges he is disagreeing with his friends, plato and other scholars of plato, by dismissing platos theory of ideal forms.
We call people good if they perform their function well. The internet classics archive nicomachean ethics by. A summary of book i in aristotles nicomachean ethics. Chapter summary for aristotles nicomachean ethics, book 1 summary. Nicomachean ethics by aristotle the internet classics archive. Nicomachean ethics book 1 summary nicomachean ethics by aristotle it is the purpose of the study of ethics to discover the nature of the highest good and to find the. Nicomachean ethics by aristotle it is the purpose of the study of ethics to discover the nature of the highest good and to find the appropriate. In this lesson, youll get aristotles insight into ethics and, in particular, his approach to moral responsibility and the best way to live. Nor again must we in all matters alike demand an explanation of the reason why things are what they are. Get aristotles nicomachean ethics support my work here philosophy tutorials. If playback doesnt begin shortly, try restarting your. The true good, according to aristotle, is more complicated.
Brief discussion on the opening paragraph of aristotles nicomachean ethics. Happiness is the highest good because we choose happiness as an end sufficient in itself. For instance, a person who plays the flute well is a good flutist. Course hero literature instructor russell jaffe provides an indepth summary and analysis of book 1. Nicomachean ethics study guide contains a biography of aristotle, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Though written more than 2,000 years ago, it offers the modern reader many valuable insights into human needs and conduct. Aristotles nicomachean ethics books 15 happiness and. When we aim at happiness, we do so for its own sake, not because happiness helps us realize some other end. Aristotles nicomachean ethics explained with book summaries in just a few minutes. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in nicomachean ethics, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Aristotles nicomachean ethics 1 bk 15 happiness and the virtues study one of the most influential works of all time on ethics, happiness, virtues, and selfimprovement watch promo.
Need help with book 1 in aristotles nicomachean ethics. The nicomachean ethics, aristotles most important study of personal morality and the ends of human life, has for many centuries been a widelyread and influential book. Aristotle nicomachean ethics book 1 chapter summary. Even intelligence and virtue are not good only in themselves, but good also because they make us happy. Aristotles nicomachean ethics, book 1 ethics and moral theory. Brief discussion of aristotles nicomachean ethics continued. Aristotle begins by laying down the investigation at hand. These, then, are the ends at which our inquiry aims, since it is political science, in one sense of that term. Nicomachean ethics aristotle faculty of social sciences. Every art and every investigation, and likewise every practical pursuit or undertaking, seems to aim at some good. The nicomachean ethics book 1, chapter 1 1094a119 summary aristotle opens his inquiry by contemplating what is good.