Aristotle and Neitzsche

             How should people live their lives? Two intellectual figures, Aristotle and Friedrich Nietzsche have given some suggestions in regards to this question. Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher and scientist. Aristotle was more than just a thinker; he was a physicist, chemist, political theorist, and much more. Aristotle poses an answer: that a person's life should be based on and limited by the idea of virtue. Virtue is defined as moral excellence, righteousness, or goodness, and vice is defined as evil or immoral practice. On the other hand, there is Friedrich Nietzsche a literary and social critic who lived during the late nineteenth century. Nietzsche declared that man (people) should be strong and independent like the "Superman." These two intellectual minds present many of their ideas in their works. When analyzed a contrast is seen in the excerpts from Rhetoric by Aristotle and Thus Spake Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche.
             In the excerpt Rhetoric, Aristotle talks about the ideals of virtue, an aspect that people should live their lives by. Aristotle defines virtue as "a faculty of providing and preserving good things, a faculty productive of many and great benefits...." Virtue has the following components "justice, courage, self-control, magnificence, magnanimity, liberality, gentleness, practical and speculative wisdom." As the excerpt continues Aristotle describes each of the components with explanations.
             Liberality "is do not dispute the possession of wealth which is chief object of other men's desire", which means do not be jealous of other people's possessions. Justice "is a virtue which assigns to each man his due in conformity with the law." By this Aristotle explains to us that justice keeps men in order and under control. Courage "makes men perform noble acts in the midst of dangers...." Courage is virtuous component, wh...

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Aristotle and Neitzsche . (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 07:51, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/61067.html