Summary of book I-VI of Nicomachean ethics and parts of other books including VII and X. In depth summary of chapters covered with quotes and interpretation of them linking them to themes covered in the course.
Book and Chapter Summaries
Table of Contents
BOOK I.......................................................................................................................................................... 3
I.1 ACTIONS HAVE ENDS, SOME ARE HIGHER THAN OTHERS............................................................................................3
I.2 THE HIGHEST GOOD AND POLITICAL SCIENCE...........................................................................................................4
I.3 DON’T NEED TO BE EXACT AND NEED EXPERIENCE....................................................................................................4
I.4 COMMON BELIEFS- HAPPINESS IS HIGHEST GOOD.....................................................................................................5
I.5 COMMON BELIEFS- THE THREE LIVES.....................................................................................................................5
I.6 THE PLATONIC FORM OF THE GOOD......................................................................................................................6
I.7 ACCOUNT OF THE HUMAN GOOD (FUNCTION ARGUMENT)........................................................................................6
I.8 DEFENCE OF THE ACCOUNT OF THE GOOD..............................................................................................................8
I.9 HOW IS HAPPINESS ACHIEVED?............................................................................................................................8
I.10 CAN WE BE HAPPY DURING OUR LIFETIME?..........................................................................................................8
I.11 HOW HAPPINESS CAN BE AFFECTED AFTER ONE’S DEATH.........................................................................................9
I.12.................................................................................................................................................................... 9
I.13 INTRODUCTION TO THE VIRTUES.........................................................................................................................9
BOOK II- VIRTUE............................................................................................................................................ 9
II.1- HOW IS VIRTUE ACQUIRED................................................................................................................................9
II.2- HABITUATION AND THE MEAN.........................................................................................................................10
II.3- THE IMPORTANCE OF PLEASURE AND PAIN........................................................................................................10
II.4- VIRTUOUS ACTIONS VERSUS VIRTUOUS CHARACTER..............................................................................................10
II.5- VIRTUE OF CHARACTER IS A STATE....................................................................................................................10
II.6- VIRTUE IS ABOUT PERFORMING FUNCTION WELL AND FOUND IN THE MEAN..............................................................10
II.7- THE PARTICULAR VIRTUES OF CHARACTER...........................................................................................................11
II.8- RELATIONS BETWEEN MEANS AND EXTREME STATES.............................................................................................11
II.9- HOW CAN WE REACH THE MEAN?....................................................................................................................11
BOOK III (1-5 PRECONDITIONS OF VIRTUE, 6-12 TEMPERANCE AND BRAVERY).............................................11
III.1-III.5 PRECONDITIONS OF VIRTUE......................................................................................................................11
III.1- Voluntary Action...................................................................................................................................11
III.2- Decision.................................................................................................................................................12
III.3- Deliberation...........................................................................................................................................12
III.4- Wish......................................................................................................................................................12
III.5- Virtue and Vice are in our power..........................................................................................................12
III.6-III.12 TEMPERANCE AND BRAVERY..................................................................................................................12
III.6- Bravery; its scope..................................................................................................................................12
III.7- Bravery; Its characteristic outlook........................................................................................................12
III.8- Conditions that resemble bravery.........................................................................................................12
III.9- Feelings Proper to bravery....................................................................................................................12
III.10- Temperance; Its scope........................................................................................................................13
III.11 Temperance; Its outlook.......................................................................................................................13
III.12 Intemperance.......................................................................................................................................13
BOOK IV- OTHER VIRTUES OF CHARACTER................................................................................................... 13
IV.1- GENEROSITY............................................................................................................................................... 13
IV.2- MAGNIFICENCE...........................................................................................................................................13
IV.3- MAGNANIMITY............................................................................................................................................13
IV.4- THE VIRTUE CONCERNED WITH SMALL HONORS..................................................................................................13
, IV.5- MILDNESS..................................................................................................................................................13
IV.6- FRIENDLINESS..............................................................................................................................................13
IV.7- HONESTY................................................................................................................................................... 13
IV.8- WIT.......................................................................................................................................................... 13
IV.9- SHAME......................................................................................................................................................13
BOOK V, VI AND VII- THE COMMON BOOK.................................................................................................. 13
BOOK V- JUSTICE......................................................................................................................................... 13
V.1- VARIETIES OF JUSTICE....................................................................................................................................13
V.2- SPECIAL JUSTICE CONTRASTED WITH GENERAL...................................................................................................14
V.3- JUSTICE IN DISTRIBUTION...............................................................................................................................14
V.4- JUSTICE IN RECTIFICATION..............................................................................................................................14
V.5- JUSTICE IN EXCHANGE....................................................................................................................................14
V.6- POLITICAL JUSTICE........................................................................................................................................ 14
V.7- JUSTICE BY NATURE AND BY LAW.....................................................................................................................14
V.8- JUSTICE, INJUSTICE, AND THE VOLUNTARY.........................................................................................................14
V.9- PUZZLES ABOUT JUSTICE AND INJUSTICE............................................................................................................14
V.10- DECENCY...................................................................................................................................................15
V.11- INJUSTICE TO ONESELF.................................................................................................................................15
BOOK VI VIRTUES OF THOUGHT.................................................................................................................. 15
VI.1 THE MEAN AND THE VIRTUES OF THOUGHT........................................................................................................15
VI.2 THOUGHT, DESIRE AND DECISION.....................................................................................................................15
VI.3- SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE................................................................................................................................15
VI.4- CRAFT KNOWLEDGE.....................................................................................................................................16
VI.5- PRUDENCE................................................................................................................................................. 16
VI.6- UNDERSTANDING.........................................................................................................................................16
VI.7- WISDOM VS PRUDENCE................................................................................................................................16
VI.8- TYPES OF PRUDENCE....................................................................................................................................16
VI.9- GOOD DELIBERATION...................................................................................................................................17
VI.10- COMPREHENSION......................................................................................................................................17
VI.11- PRACTICAL THOUGHT AND PARTICULARS.........................................................................................................17
VI.12- PUZZLES ABOUT PRUDENCE AND WISDOM.....................................................................................................17
VI.13- PRUDENCE AND VIRTUE OF CHARACTER.........................................................................................................17
BOOK VII (1-10 INCONTINENCE, 11-14 PLEASURE)........................................................................................ 18
VII.1-VII.10 INCONTINENCE..................................................................................................................................18
VII.1- Vice, Virtue and Incontinence..............................................................................................................18
VII.2 Puzzles about incontinence...................................................................................................................18
VII.3 Incontinence and ignorance..................................................................................................................18
VII.4 Simple incontinence..............................................................................................................................18
VII.5 Bestiality and disease............................................................................................................................18
VII.6 Incontinence and related conditions.....................................................................................................18
VII.7 Incontinence, temperance and softness...............................................................................................18
VII.8 Why intemperance is worse than continence.......................................................................................18
VII.9 Continence.............................................................................................................................................18
VII.10 Answers to further questions about incontinence..............................................................................18
VII.11-VII.14 PLEASURE......................................................................................................................................18
VII.11 Questions about pleasure...................................................................................................................18
VII.12 Pleasure and Good..............................................................................................................................18
VII.13- Pleasure and happiness.....................................................................................................................19
VII.14- Bodily pleasures.................................................................................................................................19
, BOOK VIII- FRIENDSHIP............................................................................................................................... 19
VIII.1................................................................................................................................................................ 19
VIII.2................................................................................................................................................................ 19
VIII.3................................................................................................................................................................ 19
VIII.4................................................................................................................................................................ 19
VIII.5................................................................................................................................................................ 19
VIII.6................................................................................................................................................................ 19
VIII.7................................................................................................................................................................ 19
VIII.8................................................................................................................................................................ 19
VIII.9................................................................................................................................................................ 19
VIII.10.............................................................................................................................................................. 19
VIII.11.............................................................................................................................................................. 19
VIII.12.............................................................................................................................................................. 19
VIII.13.............................................................................................................................................................. 19
VIII.14.............................................................................................................................................................. 19
BOOK IX- MORE ON FRIENDSHIP................................................................................................................. 19
IX.1.................................................................................................................................................................. 19
IX.2.................................................................................................................................................................. 19
IX.3.................................................................................................................................................................. 19
IX.4.................................................................................................................................................................. 19
IX.5.................................................................................................................................................................. 19
IX.6.................................................................................................................................................................. 19
IX.7.................................................................................................................................................................. 19
IX.8.................................................................................................................................................................. 19
IX.9.................................................................................................................................................................. 19
IX.10................................................................................................................................................................ 19
IX.11................................................................................................................................................................ 19
IX.12................................................................................................................................................................ 19
BOOK X (1-5 PLEASURE, 6-8 HAPPINESS, 9 MORAL EDUCATION)..................................................................19
X.1-X.5 PLEASURE...............................................................................................................................................19
X.1..................................................................................................................................................................19
X.2..................................................................................................................................................................19
X.3..................................................................................................................................................................19
X.4..................................................................................................................................................................20
X.5..................................................................................................................................................................20
X.6-X.8 HAPPINESS............................................................................................................................................. 20
X.6 Conditions for happiness.........................................................................................................................20
X.7 Happiness and theoretical study.............................................................................................................20
X.8 Theoretical study and the other virtues..................................................................................................20
X.9 MORAL EDUCATION.......................................................................................................................................21
Book I
I.1 Actions have ends, some are higher than others
Every actions has an end
o ‘Every craft and every discipline, and likewise action and decision, seems to seek some
good’ (1094a1-2)
Objection- What about absent-minded action
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