Aristotle On Friendship Essay, Research Paper

Aristotle On Friendship

Philosophical Ethics

December 6, 1995

Friendship is undoubtedly one of the most important elements in the

books of Aristotle’s ethical principles. Aristotle takes the idea of friendship

to a serious degree. He categorizes them into three groups or types of

friendships. This report will attempt to define each type of friendship as well

as identify the role of friendship in a society.

Aristotle considers friendship to be a necessity to live. He claims

that no individual would chose to live without friends even if the individual

had all of the other good things in life. He also describes friendship as a

virtue and as just. Given the above statements on friendship, it is safe to say

that Aristotle felt that friendship is something that every human must have in

order to reach a peaceful state of mind. It has all of the qualities of good as

long as both parties of a friendship are considered good. Therefore, the role

of friendship in a society is to promote goodness between all parties involved

in it.

As previously mentioned, Aristotle has identified three different types

of friendships. The first is friendship based on utility. This is a friendship

in which both parties become involved with each other for their own personal

benefit. An example would be a working relationship with an individual. These

are people who do not spend much time together, possibly because they do not

like each other, and therefore feel no need to associate with one another unless

they are mutually useful. They take pleasure from each other’s company just for

their own sake. Aristotle uses the elderly and foreigners as examples of

friendships based on utility.

The second type of friendship is a friendship based on pleasure. This

friendship is made between two people that wish to gain pleasure from one

another. Aristotle uses the young as an example here. Friendship between the

young is grounded on pleasure because the lives of the young are regulated by

their feelings, and their main interest is in their own pleasure and the

opportunity of the moment. They are quick to create and destroy friendships

because their affection changes as fast as the things that please them do.

Aristotle felt that this sort of pleasure changes rapidly. The young also have

a tendency to fall in love, thus creating an erotic friendship which is swayed

by the feelings and based on pleasure.

Finally, we have what is considered the by Aristotle as the perfect

friendship. This is called the friendship based on goodness. This kind of

friendship is between those that desire the good of their friends for their

friend’s sake not their own. Each friend loves the other for what he is, not

for a particular quality. This type of friendship can last as long as the

friends remain good. The friendship just might last forever. Aristotle

considers it a permanent friendship because in it are all of the attributes that

friends ought to possess. This friendship differs than the others mentioned

because all the parties involved have each other’s qualities. There is no need

to use the other for pleasure or utility. They are in it for each other.

As you can see, Aristotle held friendship in high regard. He considered

it something to better the society as well as the individual. His definitions

of the types of friendships can make one relate to his or her own friends. One

can try to determine the type of friendships that one may have or wish to have

with his or her friends. It would certainly be a challenge in today’s day and

age to find a friendship based on goodness. Perhaps it can be achieved.