Befriending Aristotle: What Exactly is Friendship?

As one progresses through Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, one will stumble upon Book VIII, which basically gives a run down on Aristotle's stance on friendship. We, as the readers, are immediately hit with the statement that "it is most necessary for our life" (Aristotle, 119). What Aristotle is insinuating is that friendship is a necessary part of any tolerable human life. To further strengthen his point, Aristotle mentions that how can one possibly become a rich and holder of power positions if they have no opportunity for beneficence in relation to friends? Aristotle also mentions that not only is friendship necessary, but it is also "fine" (Aristotle, 120). We are led to believe that a friendship is praiseworthy; a friendship must consist of some type of goodwill between two people. The goodwill must be reciprocated goodwill, meaning that both people involved in the friendship have the same mutual feelings towards one another, each person should wish "good" (Aristotle, 121) to the friendship, and each person should be aware of the goodwill or else the friendship is nullified. For example, John and Bob can share the same mutual feelings towards one another but if this is not expressed by either John or Bob, the friendship is void.

Aristotle proceeds by then elaborating on three different types of friendship: utility, pleasure, and goodness. A friendship based on utility is when each person provides "some type of good" (Aristotle, 121) or benefits to the friendship. John and Bob can have a friendship based on some type of good but if, for example, John fails to provide this good, the friendship is over; thus these types of friendships normally do not last. A friendship based on pleasure is quite similar to one based on utility but instead, both friends are attracted to one another due to looks, personalities, etc. Again, these friendships are normally truncated due to their reliance on personal utilities and pleasures (utilities and pleasures are prone to change). The third type, however, is defined as the epitome of friendships: both people admire each other's goodness and strive to maintain the goodness. These friends are "friends without qualification" (Aristotle, 124), unlike friendships based on utility and pleasure. Goodness is what maintains friendships and in order to preserve the goodness, all persons must be able to also dish out compliments rather than just accepting them. I personally agree with Aristotle in that friendships should be based on goodness because a friendship based on looks or a certain object is completely faulty. If a friendship existed due to looks and one of the friends got into a serious accident (thus damaging the friend's looks), what would happen to the friendship? The foundation of a solid friendship is goodness and without that affection towards each other, the friendship might as well cease to exist. In this day and age, we are indeed materialistic and we may have a tendency to befriend those with money and innovative objects, but we must overlook this materialistic facade and focus on finding those who will persist a friendship due to goodness and selflessness.

Aristotle concludes his eighth book by mentioning friendship in communities and different political systems. He basically says that both justice and friendships are closely related and that they both tie communities together. "Justice also naturally increases with friendship, since it involves the same people and extends over an equal area" (Aristotle, 129). Attacking or robbing a random stranger is considered unjust but performing those actions on a close companion, like your mother or brother, is considered the highest degree of unjustness. Aristotle then ties communities with different political systems, such as monarchy, aristocracy, and timocracy. Corrupt political systems (tyranny, for example, a corrupt form of monarchy) are like those relationships where no friendship exists. The relationship between the ruler and his or her people is so apart that a friendship between each party cannot be established. I agree with Aristotle that in order for a political community to survive and strive, there must be some type of relationship between the ruler and his or her people. The ruler must provide the people with rights, benefits, and must also take good care of the people. Justice and friendships among those in the community must also be prevalent or else it will face dire consequences.