Aristotle's Ethics (Cliffs Notes)

210 Pages·1966·0.66 MB·English

by  Charles H. Patterson

title: Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics : Notes ...
author: Milch, Robert J.
publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (US)
isbn10 | asin:
print isbn13: 9780822008897
ebook isbn13: 9780822070122
language: English
subject Aristotle.--Nicomachean ethics, Ethics.
publication date: 1966
lcc: B430.M55 1966eb
ddc: 185
subject: Aristotle.--Nicomachean ethics, Ethics.
Page i
Page 1
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics
Notes
including
Aristotle's Life
Aristotle's Works
Aristotle's Method and Place in Intellectual History
Main Points of Aristotle's Ethical Philosophy
Summaries and Commentaries: Books I-X
Questions for Review
Selected Bibliography
by
Robert Milch, B.A.
and
Charles H. Patterson, Ph.D.
Professor of Philosophy
University of Nebraska
INCORPORATED
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA 68501
Page 2
Editor
Gary Carey, M.A.
University of Colorado
Consulting Editor
James L. Roberts, Ph.D.
Department of English
University of Nebraska
ISBN 0-8220-0889-0
© Copyright 1966
by
Cliffs Notes, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Printed in U.S.A.
1999 Printing
The Cliffs Notes logo, the names "Cliffs" and "Cliffs Notes," and the
black and yellow diagonal-stripe cover design are all registered
trademarks belonging to Cliffs Notes, Inc., and may not be used in
whole or in part without written permission.
Cliffs Notes, Inc. Lineoln, Nebraska
Page 3
Contents
Introduction 5
Life of Aristotle 5
Aristotle's Works 7
Aristotle's Method & His Place in Intellectual History 10
The Main Points of Aristotle's Ethical Philosophy 12
Subjects Covered in the Nichomachean Ethics 12
Nichomachean Ethics
Summaries and Critical Commentaries
Book 1 13
Book 2 26
Book 3 38
Book 4 49
Book 5 54
Book 6 67
Book 7 75
Book 8 83
Book 9 91
Book 10 98

Page 4
Selected Bibliography 104
Works by Aristotle Available in Paperback Editions 105
Review Questions 105
Page 5
Introduction
The Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle's most important study of personal
morality and the ends of human life, has for many centuries been a
widely-read and influential book. Though written more than 2,000
years ago, it offers the modern reader many valuable insights into
human needs and conduct. Among its most outstanding features are
Aristotle's insistence that there are no known absolute moral standards
and that any ethical theory must be based in part on an understanding
of psychology and firmly grounded in the realities of human nature
and daily life. In addition, the book vividly reflects Aristotle's
achievements in other areas of philosophy and is a good example of
his analytical method, which must be considered the ultimate basis of
all modern scientific research.
People have not changed significantly in the many years since
Aristotle first lectured on ethics at the Lyceum in Athens. The human
types and problems he discusses are familiar to everyone. The rules of
conduct and explanations of virtue and goodness that he proposes can
all help modern man to attain a fuller and more satisying
understanding of his responsibilities as a member of society and the
purpose of his existence. For this alone Aristotle's book is still worth
reading.
Aristotle's Life
Aristotle was born in 384 B.C. in Stagira, a small town in Thrace. His
father, Nicomachus, was a famous doctor who served as personal
physician to King Amyntas II of Macedonia and had many
connections at the royal court. It appears likely that Nicomachus
played an important part in Aristotle's early intellectual development,
encouraging his interest in biology and other natural sciences, and
perhaps also training him in medicine.
After the deaths of both his parents, Aristotle went to Athens at the
age of 17 to study at Plato's Academy. He remained there for nearly
20 years, toward the end supporting himself as a teacher of rhetoric.
There were many popular stories in ancient times about personal
conflicts between Plato and Aristotle during this period, but they have
no factual basis and seem to have been prompted by Aristotle's later
opposition to many of Plato's doctrines. Aristotle was very much
under Plato's influence while studying at the Academy and his earliest
written works were dialogues patterned after those of Plato and
expressing conventional Platonic philosophical ideas. Even many
years after Plato's death, when he was fully established