Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics Lesson Plan

Aristotle recommends putting a value on the benefits friends can give one another. Do you agree that this is a good idea? How do you place a value on the things you and your friends share? What sort of problems can come from this approach?

Students will likely find this suggestion undesirable, as it makes a friendship seem like a business relationship. However, you can help them find ways to make sense of the question by giving examples of spending time and attention with a friend who does not do the same for them. From those examples, students can see that we do in fact place value on the things we do for our friends and expect an equal exchange.

Aristotle insists that...