BFF
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In defining friendship, Aristotle describes three kinds or categories. Friends are those who are “mutually recognized as bearing goodwill and wishing well to each other.” What determines the boundaries of the three categories of friendship are the three objects of affection: the useful, the pleasant, and the good. Friendships founded on utility or pleasure are “incidental” – that is, “the friend is loved not because he is a friend, but because he is useful or pleasant.” In other words, “those who love for the sake of utility love for the sake of what is good for themselves, and those who love for the sake of pleasure love for the sake of what is pleasant to themselves, and not in so far as the other is the person loved but in so far as he is useful or pleasant.” Quite simply, friendships based on pleasure or utility are rooted in self-love and egoism.
In contrast, “those who wish for their friends’ good for their friends’ sake are friends in the truest sense.” The perfect form of friendship is that between good men who are alike in excellence or virtue – they wish well upon each other because they themselves are intrinsically good. Such men – and thus, such friendships – are rare. They do not come about often, nor are they formed quickly. The wish to be friends can come about quickly, but true friendship cannot. Time and familiarity are required to establish a “perfect friendship” – perfect in foundation, though not necessarily in action, for no man ever acts perfectly in all occasions. Though friendships of utility or pleasure can exist among all types of men, only good men can experience perfect friendship.
Friendship is crucial to a happy life, “for without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods.” Though life is in itself good and pleasant, a happy man cannot live in isolation, nor can an isolated man be happy. “If, therefore, existence is in itself desirable to a supremely happy man, since it is by nature good and pleasant, and if his friend’s existence is almost as desirable to him, we may conclude that a friend is something desirable. It follows that, in order to be happy, a man needs morally good friends.” This conclusion is only natural given the fact that men ultimately desire the good and that “happiness is of all things the one most desirable.” True friendship is a means to this ultimate good; perfect friendship brings about happiness. Good men then will seek perfect friendship because it is in their nature to do so.
Keep smilin', keep shinin'
Knowin' you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for
Knowin' you can always count on me, for sure
That's what friends are for
For good times and bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for
In defining friendship, Aristotle describes three kinds or categories. Friends are those who are “mutually recognized as bearing goodwill and wishing well to each other.” What determines the boundaries of the three categories of friendship are the three objects of affection: the useful, the pleasant, and the good. Friendships founded on utility or pleasure are “incidental” – that is, “the friend is loved not because he is a friend, but because he is useful or pleasant.” In other words, “those who love for the sake of utility love for the sake of what is good for themselves, and those who love for the sake of pleasure love for the sake of what is pleasant to themselves, and not in so far as the other is the person loved but in so far as he is useful or pleasant.” Quite simply, friendships based on pleasure or utility are rooted in self-love and egoism.
In contrast, “those who wish for their friends’ good for their friends’ sake are friends in the truest sense.” The perfect form of friendship is that between good men who are alike in excellence or virtue – they wish well upon each other because they themselves are intrinsically good. Such men – and thus, such friendships – are rare. They do not come about often, nor are they formed quickly. The wish to be friends can come about quickly, but true friendship cannot. Time and familiarity are required to establish a “perfect friendship” – perfect in foundation, though not necessarily in action, for no man ever acts perfectly in all occasions. Though friendships of utility or pleasure can exist among all types of men, only good men can experience perfect friendship.
Friendship is crucial to a happy life, “for without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods.” Though life is in itself good and pleasant, a happy man cannot live in isolation, nor can an isolated man be happy. “If, therefore, existence is in itself desirable to a supremely happy man, since it is by nature good and pleasant, and if his friend’s existence is almost as desirable to him, we may conclude that a friend is something desirable. It follows that, in order to be happy, a man needs morally good friends.” This conclusion is only natural given the fact that men ultimately desire the good and that “happiness is of all things the one most desirable.” True friendship is a means to this ultimate good; perfect friendship brings about happiness. Good men then will seek perfect friendship because it is in their nature to do so.
So just call on me, brother
When you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem
That you'd understand
We all need somebody to lean on
Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on
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posted by þΛųL jØŋαŦhΛŋ @ 08:15
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