Aristotle About Human Function: Argument in 'Nichomachean Ethics'

In the Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle swites about human function, one arguments is: “If we take the proper function of a human to be a certain kind of life, and if this kind of life is an activity of soul and consists in actions performed in conjunction with the rational element,..., and if a function is well performed when it is performed in accordance with the excellence appropriate to it; we reach the conclusion that the good of a human is an activity of soul in conformity with excellence or virtue” he is implying this with his outlook on how certain things function and whether or not it is good.

An example of an object would be a car, the cars function is to take you from Point A to Point B safely. This object is good, due to it getting you to designated places and making sure you get to where you need to be. Now if the car prevents you from going to where you need to be due to the car breaking down then the car is not doing its function.

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Aristotle's Views on Human Function: Argument Analysis

Aristotle seemed to believe that we need to think about who we want to become in life and not what we ought to do. Life has a variety of meanings to it, so in this case we are using it as “activity.” The human function is a life of rational activity. The function of a good human being is to behave in a well and nobly manner.

According to Aristotle, they are different goods that we have to make in life, in order to be “happy” and do good. For example, Growth isn’t the function of human beings, due to the way we go about our life. Sensation isn’t a function due to the life of rational activity. Rational activity is how humans do the things we do, it is what makes us stand out as humans.

We can notice when one is being a good human being by the way they go about doing things. There rational choice is what’s based off of the amount of information they have as well as balancing their emotions. Our happiness and being a good human is not even close to being a rational choice in the first place. The decisions are based on self-interest as we define our self-interest to be what we make it to become. Now according to Aristotle, they are many definitions of “good”. What sets humanity off from other species is giving us the opportunity to live our best life. It is our duty to guide ourselves by using some logical reasoning. For example, using logical reasoning in our day to day life as a tool to fulfill our happiness and what it is consisted of. Doing anything “good” requires virtue or excellence, such as what Aristotle mentions in his book.

Being a good human doesn’t really have an exact meaning to it, but it does have many examples to it. When is exactly is a man good or even so, a good human? If this were to work in the same exact way, we would need to get a better understanding as to what is our purpose here as humans. In Aristotle eyes, everything has a purpose. Being ‘good’ for Aristotle is the same as being ‘content’. One is happy if one’s life is going the way they want it too, If everything is going accordingly.

Final Thoughts

If Aristotle were alive today, I believe his opinion on humans having a full-fledge language would differ from what he wrote in his book years ago. As modern day scientist recently proved that animals didn’t engage in complex structures, such as language and thought. Even though it has been up for debate, proving this would still make people consider that, that is what it means to be a human.

References

1. Aristotle. (1999). Nichomachean Ethics. Translated by Terence Irwin. Hackett Publishing Company.

2. Irwin, T. H. (1988). Aristotle's First Principles. Philosophy & Phenomenological Research, 48(1), 1-33.

3. Kraut, R. (2007). Aristotle on the Human Good. Aristotle's Ethics, 48-81.

4. Broadie, S. (1991). Ethics with Aristotle. Oxford University Press.

5. Reeve, C. D. (2014). Action, Contemplation, and Happiness: An Essay on Aristotle. Harvard University Press.

6. Code, A. (1984). Kinds of Being: A Study of Aristotle's Metaphysics and Nichomachean Ethics. University of Alberta.

7. Annas, J. (1993). The Morality of Happiness. Oxford University Press.

8. Sherman, N. (1997). Aristotle's Ethics: Critical Essays. Rowman & Littlefield.

9. Lear, J. (1988). Aristotle: The Desire to Understand. Cambridge University Press.

10. Miller, F. D. (2017). Nature, Justice, and Rights in Aristotle's Politics. Oxford University Press.