Blog 3: Aristotle

As it turns out, the theory that i brought up in class today (that there are three main types of friendship) IS indeed Aristotle's. He explains that the three possible types of friendship are that of utility, that of pleasure, and that of the good. Friendship of utility occurs when each party stands to gain something from the other. Neither is truly a "friend" in modern terms because he sees the other as an object rather than a human being. The basis of this relationship is more bussiness oriented. When the motivation of self-gain dissolves, so does the "friendship." A friendship of pleasure, which is slightly more respectable/desirable in Aristotle's view, is one in which each party simply enjoys the company of the other. In this type of friendship, the people involved may enjoy a common hobby or activity. This may seem substantial, but such friendships will dissolve like those of utility when or if the commonality no longer exists. The final, most respectable, and most true form of friendship is that of the good. In a friendship of the good, the movtives are entirely pure, and, thus, the relationship has longevity. Each friend is true and honestly cares for the other person on a deeper level of character. Relating back to Skyla's question in class, I think that when Aristotle said that "friendship is only possible with a few people," he was referring to TRUE friendship, that is, friendship of the good.

Q: What do you think of Aristotle's theory of the three types of friendship? Do you think it's true? Can you identify yourself as having one or more of these friendships?