İlbey BUDAK 20201458

Nichomechean Ethics and Cicero’s Old Age Opinions

            In Book V Aristo evalute the justice idea and he asks the questions of “What is just?” , “Which makes them just in action and in intention.”

            According to Aristo we differentiate the just and unjust, things from their causes and consequences. In my opinion, Aristo have a wide perspective about events because he did not say an event directly good and bad. For instance an event which was accepted well may have bad consequences. A bad incident can cause good things. In sociology this is a theory that disfunctions can cause functions (good things) However Aristo can not maintain this wide perspective in his just and unjust concept, he evalutes the just only according to law and he says “What is just is what is lawfull, what is fair” (p 144) .According to me sometimes laws can be unfair consequently the laws are made by people and it is important that what event do you call it is fair or unfair. On the other hand, his definition about just people is very strict. Aristo claims “The unjust man does not always choose what is more than his share, on the contrary he choses what is less than his share such things as are absolutely evil (p 144) He criticizes the fair only from one perspective share

            Cicero is a typic Ancient-Greek nationalist. His Nationalism is limited only one city, Athens. Athens have a lot of colonies and Cicero’s ideas may have been effected by Ancient Greek’s Colonies ideas. For example, Cicero adress one of his friends “I am aware that it was not a surname along which you brought home with you but it is culture and good sense.” (p 26) Modern colonist countries also have these ideas.

            Cicero has  optimistic ideas about old age and he support his ideas with real life stories which was existed in past. According to me, a 84 years old man, Cicero is very hopeful and energetic. He claims that people should use what they have and what ever people may change to be doing, do it with all your mind (p 33) and adds that what is more charming than old age surrounded by enthusiasm of youth. Old man wants to be as strong as young and youngs want to be as strong as a bull or an elephant but none of them know their advantages. We can symbolize this idea with a saying : “Carpe diem” (Seize the day)