A summary of book ii in aristotles nicomachean ethics. Now by wealth we mean all the things whose value is measured by money. After this, the next step would be a discussion of friendship, since it is a virtue or involves virtue, and is an absolute necessity in life. Comment on book 2 chapter 4 of aristotles nicomachean ethics. Virtue being, as we have seen, of two kinds, intellectual and moral, intellectual virtue is for the most part both produced and increased by instruction, and therefore requires experience and time.
The first arises mostly from teaching and requires. The internet classics archive nicomachean ethics by. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Commentary on chapter 2 of book 1 of aristotles nicomachean ethics 1094a191094b12, pages 3 4 of the crispcambridge edition nicomachean ethics playlist. Aristotle notes that things achievable by action have some end that we wish for because of itself. It has been shown that there are two kinds of virtue intellectual and moral.
Book ii 1 virtue, then, being of two kinds, intellectual and moral, intellectual virtue in the main owes both its birth and its growth to teaching for which reason it requires experience and time, while moral virtue comes about as a result of habit, whence also its name ethike is one that is formed by a slight variation from the word ethos. Aristotle concludes book ii by saying that, in light of whats been discussed, its hard work to be excellent. Since one extreme is generally worse than the other, its best to aim for the lesser of the evils. Next section book three summary and analysis previous section book one summary and analysis buy. Aristotle outlines two sorts of virtuevirtue of thought and virtue of character. Aristotle explains that the virtue of generosity has to do with the giving and taking of wealth. Aristotles doctrine of the mean, outlined in section 2, begins with a general explanation he will gradually defend. 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.
Liberality is the right disposition with regard to spending money, while prodigality and illiberality represent excess and deficiency respectively. Aristotle, nicomachean ethics, book 2, chapter 1, section 4. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading ethics. An appropriate attitude toward pleasure and pain is one of the most important habits to develop for. The truly best good would be something that we work and wish for as an end in itselfnot part of an unending cycle of desire and attainment. Having discussed courage and temperance in book iii, aristotle now moves through the rest of the virtues, discussing them one by one. Book 1, chapter 2 1094a201094b11 aristotles interested in finding out what the highest human good might be, so he sets about trying to describe the general characteristics of this good. Moral virtue, on the other hand, comes about as the result of habit and practice. How actions cause character nicomachean ethics book 2 ch 4.
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