Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book Viii, Chapters 9-12

Name Instructor Course Date Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, book VIII, chapters 9-12 Summary Aristotle argued that friendships work best when they are based on justice, and even members of a community are friends when there is goodwill. Friendships can change depending on one’s position and relation to others, and those who have no moral weakness make perfect and noble friends. At the same time, friends share similar values and are good to each other as they desire equality. Committing an unjust act to a friend is worse than being unjust to strangers and friendships are also likened to political communities where people are bound together for the common good and shared interests. In a community, democracy is better than aristocracy and kingship, and they all affect how people are governed. In a democracy, there is friendship that the interests of all stakeholders are prioritized and none dominates over the others as compared to tyrannies and dictatorships where the leaders only serve their own interests. Friendships are also present in different regimes and depend on justice, and friendships also extend to families. Critique and response When there is no friendship between the rules and ruled it is unlikely that there will be justice, and friendships only applies to human beings and not animals and inanimate objects. Aristotle was right to point out that people are more likely to be unjust to those who are not their friends as they are capable of loving and befriending other people. However, Aristotle did not elaborate how fairness affected friendships, and only focused on justice. It is expected that friends will care for...