Aristotle s Argument For The Function Of Man - 1585 Words

Aristotle, in Nicomachean Ethics I.7, defined happiness as the central good that motivates all of man’s endeavors (function), in that happiness â€Å"is in itself worthy of pursuit more final than that which is worthy of pursuit for the sake of something else†¦ is always desirable in itself and never for the sake of something else.† (NE 1.7, 1097a 32-34) What is interesting to note here, is that in this sense, happiness, rather than a mental state of the mind, is perceived as a good; happiness is something that serves an end – in other words, the goal of a function. If happiness is the ultimate purpose, then what is the human function that achieves it? More problematically, this assumes that humans must have a function in the first place! In my essay, I will examine Aristotle’s argument for the function of man, and attempt to provide commentary that serves to support his position. The Function Argument and its Critiques In this section, I will summarize Aristotle’s function argument and examine two possible critiques against it. Aristotle argued that by understanding human beings, what they are and what function they serve, we will get a better understanding of how they ought to behave and how to best achieve our chief good; which he defines as â€Å"something final and self-sufficient, and is the end of action.† (NE I.7, 1097b 18-19) P1: Every activity (function) serves to meet an end (good). (NE I.7, 1097a 15-17) P2: The good and â€Å"well† (measure of quality) of anything that has aShow MoreRelatedRole Of The Citizen And The Organization Of The Infrastructure989 Words   |  4 Pagesversa) (Somerville and Santoni 69), but in the best form of government, which he calls the polity, the good man is also the good citizen (Somerville and Santoni 75). 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