Aristotle on Friendship

Aristotle’s interpretations of the various forms of friendship, even after two millennia of social and political revolutions around the world, seem to be accurate and timeless. His definitions of the highest form of friendship - that of virtue between good men – as well as one of the two lesser forms - that of ‘utility’ - are thought provoking because, by these classifications, I can categorize my own relationships. However, in doing so, I have had to question what it is that drives each of my friendships, a thought process into which I will soon digress. In addition to his definitions of the three different types of friendships, Aristotle also equates each type to its respective equal in societal structure, which introduces what I believe to be the most interesting yet accurate aspect of his views – the belief that friendship supersedes justice.

Aristotle argues that friendship should be appreciated so greatly because, in a way, it is the epitome of virtue. This is because the most ideal form of friendship is not incidental or driven by self-interest. Instead, it is without qualification (other than that both participants are good in nature). Moreover, since this concept of the ideal friendship is so characteristic of virtue and happiness, it follows naturally that Aristotle states:

“without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods” (1155a). From this assertion, it is evident that Aristotle believes friendship to be integral for the soul. Whether a man is rich, poor, young, old, or subject to any other condition, human nature does not seek solitude; he needs friendship.

Aristotle defines three overarching types of friendships that vary in terms of the love shared between a pair of individuals. The two inferior friendships are those of utility and pleasure. Friendship of utility involves two people that are interested only in some good that each gets from the other with little to no basis in the other’s wellbeing. This relationship is...