The Nicomachean Ethics

Aristotole's examination of the nature of happiness

Addresses the question of how to live well, and originates the concept of cultivating a virtuous character as the basis of his ethical system. In this title, the author sets out to examine the nature of happiness. It discusses the nature of practical reasoning, the value and the objects of pleasure, and the different forms of friendship.

A profound examination of the nature of happiness by one of the giants of ancient Greek philosophy

In The Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle argues that happiness consists in 'activity of the soul in accordance with virtue' - for example, with moral virtues, such as courage, generosity and justice, and intellectual virtues, such as knowledge, wisdom and insight. The Ethics also discusses the nature of practical reasoning, the value and the objects of pleasure, the different forms of friendship and the relationship between individual virtue, society and the State. Aristotle's work has had a lasting influence on all subsequent Western thought about ethical matters.

Translated by J. A. K. Thomson
Revised with Notes and Appendices by Hugh Tredennick
Introduction and Bibliography by Jonathan Barnes