Nichomachean Ethics

• What kind of question does Aristotle ask?

  What is the best life?
• What is the end?

  ’The end is not knowledge, but action.’
• What is aretē?

  Arête is virtue, or excellence
• What do actions do?

  Aim toward some good, so that is the good everything aims towards
• What does the function argument do?

  The function argument is a determinate conclusion about what the best possible human life is
• Outline the function argument

  If every human part has a function, then humans themselves have a function. There is a distinct human function, which is unique. This is ‘the soul‘s activity that expresses reason’. Because we are looking for the good, this activity must express arête.
• What is the issue with the function argument?

  1. Why can our function not be the same as animals?
  2. Surely there is a problem with stating that one part having a function necessarily scales to the full being having a function?
• Is virtuous activity in and of itself sufficient for happiness?


  We seek things other than virtue in order to make ourselves seemingly happy. Aristotle mentions honour, pleasure and the place of other people. He goes on to say that ’…nor, similarly, does one day or a short time make us blessed and happy’.
• What does Aristotle mean by a ’political’ life?

  He means a social life, surrounded by people.
• What is contemplation according to Aristotle?

  Contemplation is ‘the activity that expresses wisdom (Sophia)’, or ’intellect’ (nous). X. 7/8
• What does Gavin Lawrence call the NE?

  Role-role-content-content
• What is RRCC?

  A outlines the question (what is the human good?). He outlines the role of eudaimonia, clarifies the role of virtue in eudaimonia, and then ‘investigates the content of human excellence’, which then leads to the content of eudaimonia.
• What does Lawrence say brings about Aristotle‘s eudaimonia?

  Lawrence claims that eudaimonia is a ‘utopian target’, only achieved when a person acts in the best way, and they are always in the best possible circumstances.
• What is wrong with a ‘utopian target’?


  How do we work out what counts as a defect in the human situation?
• What is the theological development?


  ’The best possible human life is measured against the very best possible life In the sense of the life of the best substance’. Theological means the highest branch of ontology, which is success, or perfection.
• What is the ‘species-contextual‘ development?

  There is no sense of comparison between species.
• What is the difference between phronesis and sophia?

  Sophia has more intrinsic value then phronesis. Phronesis helps us to promote Sophia.