Aristotle's View On Friendship In De Amicitia

Virtue is the habit of choosing the mean between the extremes of excess and deficiency with regard to some action or emotion. Most importantly, virtue brings upon friendship since virtue is the parent and preserver of friendship and without virtue, friendship cannot exist at all. Aristotle’s aristotelian view on friendship in the Nicomachean Ethics Books 8 & 9 contrasts and compares with Cicero’s eclectic view on friendship in De Amicitia in numerous ways. Aristotle defines friendship as two people wishing for the goodwill of the other with them both being aware of it. In fact, Cicero studied Aristotle and wrote his own dialogue on friendship. He says that friendship is stronger than the bond of kinship because it requires goodwill, just as Aristotle said. Cicero says friendship may be defined as a complete identity of feeling about all things in heaven and earth: an identity which is strengthened …show more content…
Friendship is based on self-love and on a willingness to look out for the good of others. It is clear that both believe that friendship derives from virtue. However, Cicero notes that the only friendship in existence, which is the friendship of excellence can be made with virtuous people, while Aristotle believes that there are other forms of friendships such as friendship of utility and pleasure, made with people who seek virtue. In order to produce a stable form of friendship, virtue is needed, which is the habit of choosing the mean between the extremes of excess and deficiency with regard to some action or emotion. Eclectic Cicero often bring up the Epicurean view on friendship and dismisses it. Moreover, he also agrees and disagrees with some of Aristotle’s views, as well as some of the Stoic’s views. To conclude, friendship is one of the most central features of human experience, and it is as essential as parental love, or love for a