Nicomachean Ethics Book 10 PDF

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HW outline for Nicomachean Ethics Book 10
Dr. Morelli ...

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Nicomachean Ethics Book 10 Overall, Aristotle covers a wide variety of topics, before finally wrapping up his Nicomachean Ethics book. First, he discusses the significance of pain and pleasure on the body. How pleasure is not by itself but due to another action. Pleasure goes hand in hand with happiness, as most pleasurable activities make you happy. Next he discusses the differences between virtues. There are character and intellect virtues, in which the character virtues are below the intellect ones as they need an outside force to perform. Lastly, not many of us have actually mastered the full use of the virtues, not many of us are quite there yet. 1. Pleasure and pain usually go hand in hand. And just like pain, pleasure does not necessarily need a process or a coming into feel its effects. Pleasure can be instantaneous, complete or feel whole at any given time. Although, pleasure itself is not necessarily a process, there is a process to obtaining pleasure. Pleasure comes from the completion of any given ‘consequence’ (any enjoyable activity) and so it comes after the activity is completed. Everyone desires pleasures and we all desire them in different ways. 2. Happiness is a self sufficient activity, in which one desires on his own (without the help of others). But one’s happiness cause cause harm and damage to others. So a truly virtuous person does not seek happiness or amusement at all times, as it may not be the best scenario for everyone then. Instead they focus on serious actions or happiness. 3. Although the virtues of character are important for everyone to obtain, they can only be exercised with the help of outside pressure, or in other words the help of the gods. For example, someone can be as generous as they want but without money they are nothing, someone can be as brave and courageous as they want but without power or authority of others they are nothing. So all virtues, especially the characters, are secondary to the virtues of wisdom, understanding and study. As there is no outside pressure that is needed in order to use them, it all depends on the person himself instead. 4. Even though a lot of use have learned of the virtues, almost none of us have actually mastered them. For example, we avoid wrong and harmful actions, not because we understand why they are wrong, but because we understand that we are afraid of the punishment or consequences of our actions. And so, one can only become a good person if they truly understand the laws, otherwise they will simply be acting like a good person. Personally, I agree with Aristotle’s last point of actually understanding virtue. Many times as a child, I just wouldn’t do something because I knew my parents would get mad at me, not because I knew the action was wrong. But now as I have grown older, I do actually understand what is morally wrong with stealing, fighting or lying to others. 1. Doesn’t one need the help of others to actually study though? Even Plato had the help of Socrates and Aristotle the help of Plato? 2. Can someone though become good even if they don’t understand all of the laws and their actions? Is it understand 100% or understand none? Or is there an in between?...