Eudemian Ethics

The Eudemian ethics belongs next to the Nicomachean Ethics and the Great Ethics ( Magna Moralia ) to the three surviving under the name of Aristotle's treatises to his ethics. In the 19th century, its authenticity was disputed, but since Werner Jaeger (1923), the view has prevailed that it is the work of Aristotle and incurred prior to the Nicomachean Ethics.

The work comprises eight books. The so-called " controversial books" IV - VI of the books V -VII of the Nicomachean Ethics. Because of the manuscript tradition is believed today that it originally belonged to the Nicomachean Ethics.

The Eudemian Ethics is dedicated to following the prevalent today in archeology considers the deceased young friend and pupil of Aristotle, Eudemus of Rhodes. Because of - not coming from the author - the title Eudemian Ethics was held in ancient times and until the late 19th century often a work of Eudemus of Rhodes. Occasionally, also, another friend of Aristotle, Eudemus of Cyprus, taken as the addressee into account in research.

Content

Book I deals with the happiness ( eudaimonia ) as the goal of human action. Aristotle asks about the conditions of the happy life and their corresponding forms of life. Books II to VI discuss the issue of virtue ( arete ). A distinction is made between character ( Aretai êthikai ) and intellectual virtues ( Aretai dianoêtikai ), also belonging to different parts of the soul. The Book VII analyzes the phenomenon of friendship. Book VIII contains remarks about the wisdom ( phronesis ), recto and goodness ( kalokagathia ) and the ratio of success ( eutychia ) and happiness ( eudaimonia ).

Expenditure

• Richard R. Walzer / Jean Mingay (ed.): Aristotelis ethica Eudemia. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1991, ISBN 0-19-814575-6

Translations

• Franz Dirlmeier (ed.): Aristotle: Eudemian ethics. Akademie-Verlag, Berlin 1962
• Aristotle's Eudemian Ethics: Books I, II, and VIII Transl. with a comm. by Michael John Woods. Clarendon Press 1982, 2nd edition 1992.