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Nicomachean Ethics · Chapters

Chapters explained

Chapter companions for Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle.

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  1. Chapter 1

    Editor's Note

    This note explains that the original margin numbers used for line references have been omitted in the ebook format, and some of Peters' notes have been rewritten accordingly.

  2. Chapter 2

    Nicomachean Ethics

    Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics explores the nature of the highest good for human beings, arguing that happiness (eudaimonia) is the ultimate end of human action, achieved through a life of virtue in accordance with reason. The work examines moral and intellectual virtues, the doctrine of the mean, justice, friendship, and the contemplative life, establishing a framework for ethical conduct and human flourishing.

  3. Chapter 3

    Book I

    Aristotle begins his inquiry into the highest good, which he identifies as happiness (eudaimonia). He argues that happiness is the final, self-sufficient end of all human action and defines it as an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue. He introduces the function argument, concluding that the good of man is the exercise of his rational faculties in accordance with excellence. He distinguishes parts of the soul and discusses the role of virtue, the necessity of a complete life, and the influence of fortune, referencing Solon and Priam.

  4. Chapter 4

    The End

    This chapter concludes the inquiry into happiness by defining it as an activity of the soul in accordance with perfect virtue, and transitions to an examination of virtue itself. It distinguishes the rational and irrational parts of the soul, introduces the function argument to establish man's proper end, and critiques popular conceptions of the good (pleasure, honor, wealth) as well as the Platonic theory of a universal good.

  5. Chapter 5

    I

    Aristotle argues that pleasure is intimately connected with human nature and essential for moral education, as we steer the young by pleasure and pain. He critiques extreme views—that pleasure is the good or that it is wholly bad—and insists that true statements about pleasure are most useful for both theory and practice, since they harmonize with facts and guide conduct.

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  1. Chapter 6Chapter II: Eudoxus on Pleasure as the Good
  2. Chapter 7Chapter III
  3. Chapter 8Chapter IV: The Nature of Pleasure
  4. Chapter 9Chapter V: Pleasures, Activities, and the Good Man
  5. Chapter 10Happiness as the Exercise of Virtue
  6. Chapter 11Chapter VII: The Contemplative Life as Perfect Happiness
  7. Chapter 12Chapter VIII: Happiness as Contemplation
  8. Chapter 13The Need for Law and Habit in Moral Education
  9. Chapter 14On the Number of Friends
  10. Chapter 15XI
  11. Chapter 16XII
  12. Chapter 17Chapter XIII: The Varieties of Friendship and the Nature of Accusations
  13. Chapter 18Book II
  14. Chapter 19Moral Virtue
  15. Chapter 20I
  16. Chapter 21Chapter II: Eudoxus on Pleasure as the Good
  17. Chapter 22Chapter III
  18. Chapter 23Chapter IV: The Nature of Pleasure
  19. Chapter 24Chapter V: Pleasures, Activities, and the Good Man
  20. Chapter 25Happiness as the Exercise of Virtue
  21. Chapter 26Chapter VII: The Contemplative Life as Perfect Happiness
  22. Chapter 27Chapter VIII: Happiness as Contemplation
  23. Chapter 28The Need for Law and Habit in Moral Education
  24. Chapter 29Book III: Virtue, Choice, and the Voluntary Nature of Character
  25. Chapter 30The Will
  26. Chapter 31I
  27. Chapter 32Chapter II: Eudoxus on Pleasure as the Good
  28. Chapter 33Chapter III
  29. Chapter 34Chapter IV: The Nature of Pleasure
  30. Chapter 35Chapter V: Pleasures, Activities, and the Good Man
  31. Chapter 36The Several Moral Virtues and Vices
  32. Chapter 37Happiness as the Exercise of Virtue
  33. Chapter 38Chapter VII: The Contemplative Life as Perfect Happiness
  34. Chapter 39Chapter VIII: Happiness as Contemplation
  35. Chapter 40The Need for Law and Habit in Moral Education
  36. Chapter 41On the Number of Friends
  37. Chapter 42XI
  38. Chapter 43XII
  39. Chapter 44Book IV: The Several Moral Virtues and Vices Continued
  40. Chapter 45The Several Moral Virtues and Vices—Continued
  41. Chapter 46I
  42. Chapter 47Chapter II: Eudoxus on Pleasure as the Good
  43. Chapter 48Chapter III
  44. Chapter 49Chapter IV: The Nature of Pleasure
  45. Chapter 50Chapter V: Pleasures, Activities, and the Good Man
  46. Chapter 51Happiness as the Exercise of Virtue
  47. Chapter 52Chapter VII: The Contemplative Life as Perfect Happiness
  48. Chapter 53Chapter VIII: Happiness as Contemplation
  49. Chapter 54The Need for Law and Habit in Moral Education
  50. Chapter 55Book V: Justice and Injustice
  51. Chapter 56Justice
  52. Chapter 57I
  53. Chapter 58Chapter II: Eudoxus on Pleasure as the Good
  54. Chapter 59Chapter III
  55. Chapter 60Chapter IV: The Nature of Pleasure
  56. Chapter 61Chapter V: Pleasures, Activities, and the Good Man
  57. Chapter 62Happiness as the Exercise of Virtue
  58. Chapter 63Chapter VII: The Contemplative Life as Perfect Happiness
  59. Chapter 64Chapter VIII: Happiness as Contemplation
  60. Chapter 65The Need for Law and Habit in Moral Education
  61. Chapter 66On the Number of Friends
  62. Chapter 67XI
  63. Chapter 68Book VI: Intellectual Virtues and the Unity of Prudence and Moral Virtue
  64. Chapter 69The Intellectual Virtues
  65. Chapter 70I
  66. Chapter 71Chapter II: Eudoxus on Pleasure as the Good
  67. Chapter 72Chapter III
  68. Chapter 73Chapter IV: The Nature of Pleasure
  69. Chapter 74Chapter V: Pleasures, Activities, and the Good Man
  70. Chapter 75Happiness as the Exercise of Virtue
  71. Chapter 76Chapter VII: The Contemplative Life as Perfect Happiness
  72. Chapter 77Chapter VIII: Happiness as Contemplation
  73. Chapter 78The Need for Law and Habit in Moral Education
  74. Chapter 79On the Number of Friends
  75. Chapter 80XI
  76. Chapter 81XII
  77. Chapter 82Chapter XIII: The Varieties of Friendship and the Nature of Accusations
  78. Chapter 83Book VII
  79. Chapter 84Characters Other Than Virtue and Vice
  80. Chapter 85I
  81. Chapter 86Chapter II: Eudoxus on Pleasure as the Good
  82. Chapter 87Chapter III
  83. Chapter 88Chapter IV: The Nature of Pleasure
  84. Chapter 89Chapter V: Pleasures, Activities, and the Good Man
  85. Chapter 90Happiness as the Exercise of Virtue
  86. Chapter 91Chapter VII: The Contemplative Life as Perfect Happiness
  87. Chapter 92Chapter VIII: Happiness as Contemplation
  88. Chapter 93The Need for Law and Habit in Moral Education
  89. Chapter 94On the Number of Friends
  90. Chapter 95Of Pleasure
  91. Chapter 96XI
  92. Chapter 97XII
  93. Chapter 98Chapter XIII: The Varieties of Friendship and the Nature of Accusations
  94. Chapter 99XIV
  95. Chapter 100Book VIII: Friendship or Love
  96. Chapter 101Friendship or Love
  97. Chapter 102I
  98. Chapter 103Chapter II: Eudoxus on Pleasure as the Good
  99. Chapter 104Chapter III
  100. Chapter 105Chapter IV: The Nature of Pleasure
  101. Chapter 106Chapter V: Pleasures, Activities, and the Good Man
  102. Chapter 107Happiness as the Exercise of Virtue
  103. Chapter 108Chapter VII: The Contemplative Life as Perfect Happiness
  104. Chapter 109Chapter VIII: Happiness as Contemplation
  105. Chapter 110The Need for Law and Habit in Moral Education
  106. Chapter 111On the Number of Friends
  107. Chapter 112XI
  108. Chapter 113XII
  109. Chapter 114Chapter XIII: The Varieties of Friendship and the Nature of Accusations
  110. Chapter 115XIV
  111. Chapter 116Book IX: Friendship, Self-Love, and the Happy Life
  112. Chapter 117Friendship or Love—Continued
  113. Chapter 118I
  114. Chapter 119Chapter II: Eudoxus on Pleasure as the Good
  115. Chapter 120Chapter III
  116. Chapter 121Chapter IV: The Nature of Pleasure
  117. Chapter 122Chapter V: Pleasures, Activities, and the Good Man
  118. Chapter 123Happiness as the Exercise of Virtue
  119. Chapter 124Chapter VII: The Contemplative Life as Perfect Happiness
  120. Chapter 125Chapter VIII: Happiness as Contemplation
  121. Chapter 126The Need for Law and Habit in Moral Education
  122. Chapter 127On the Number of Friends
  123. Chapter 128XI
  124. Chapter 129XII
  125. Chapter 130Book X: Pleasure and the Contemplative Life
  126. Chapter 131Pleasure
  127. Chapter 132I
  128. Chapter 133Chapter II: Eudoxus on Pleasure as the Good
  129. Chapter 134Chapter III
  130. Chapter 135Chapter IV: The Nature of Pleasure
  131. Chapter 136Chapter V: Pleasures, Activities, and the Good Man
  132. Chapter 137Conclusion
  133. Chapter 138Happiness as the Exercise of Virtue
  134. Chapter 139Chapter VII: The Contemplative Life as Perfect Happiness
  135. Chapter 140Chapter VIII: Happiness as Contemplation
  136. Chapter 141The Need for Law and Habit in Moral Education
  137. Chapter 142Endnotes
Nicomachean Ethics — Chapters Explained