The Nichomachean ethics
by Aristotle, Martin Ostwald · first published 1876
42% recommend45% neutral13% critical
Why HN recommends it
Aristotle's search for what happiness and a full life mean, and a foundation for Western ideas of good and evil. Seen as a readable, relatable step after Plato; the Penguin edition has a helpful introduction.
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…one is wrong and one is right, or both people are wrong and they haven't realized what is right yet. Moral subjectivism as a principle makes absolutely no sense, and Aristotle destroyed that argument in Nichomachean Ethics.
on “Capital One Cyber Staff Raised Concerns Before Hack” ↗This is a great list. Why no Greeks? Plato’s Republic and Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics at least! I would add Sartre’s “Existentialism is a Humanism” as a short and readable intro to existentialism, followed by kierkegaard’s Being and Nothingness and Nietzche…maybe The Gay Science? (I am…
on “Ask HN: Learning about philosophy” ↗…- Structure and Intepretation of Computer Programs by Hal Abelson and Gerlad J. Sussman: Need I say more? This books makes me fall in love all over again with programming every time I pick it up. - Nichomachean Ethics by Aristotle: What does it mean to live well? How can we be happy? Aristotle makes the striking claim that everyone knows how to be happy, but we have to create the habits that are in accord with reason…
on “Ask HN: What are some of the best books you have read in 2022?” ↗Really!? My undergraduate degree was in philosophy. I spent a lot of time studying Aristotle’s “Metaphysics” (which isn’t about metaphysics). How does it apply to software development? Nichomachean Ethics are very helpful. But don't read Aristotle's actual work unless you have a philosophy background. Way too dense and complicated. Try "Aristotle For Everyone" by Mortimer J. Adler, and then "Aristotle"…
on “Ask HN: Do you know any good audio books for developers?” ↗try aristotle's treatment on the subject in The Nichomachean Ethics. very relatable by modern standards
on “Ask HN: Best books on “friendship” and how to make/maintain friends?” ↗I personally think Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics should somehow be incorporated into whatever educational reforms as a platform/canonical text. It's not just so much an ethical treatise (since he doesn't it tell you what to do) as a brochure on parenting.
on “Bill Gates: End teacher bonuses based on master's degrees and seniority” ↗…useful list of classics might be the list following. You may wish to start with wikipedia entries on them, or other sources, but reading the texts themselves is useful! Plato: The Republic Aristotle: Nichomachean Ethics; and Politics Thomas Hobbes: Leviathan John Locke: Two Treatises of Government Rousseau: The Social Contract Montesquieu: The Spirit of the Laws De Toqueville: Democracy in America Karl Marx: The…
on “Show HN: A political news aggregator you can comment on” ↗Nichomachean Ethics, by Aristotle. Plain and simple search for the meaning of “happiness” and “full life”.
on “Ask HN: Philosophical Reading Recommendations” ↗Actually reading Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics is worth it. Not because he's right about everything (he has some pretty messed up and weird views), but because it's challenging and good to think on, and chances are you'll take something away for yourself…
on “Aristotle quotes on virtue, knowledge, and happiness” ↗…to Socrates teaching. I still reread Plato because the stories (most of his writing is in narrative form) are so damn entertaining. Aristotle. This is a natural progression from reading Plato. The 'Nichomachean Ethics' is a cornerstone of ancient philosophy and is a relative simple read. John Locke/Gottfried Leibniz. I'll admit, I struggled through 'An Essay of Human Understanding' but this title and Leibniz's rebuttal…
on “Ask HN: Best Philosophical Books?” ↗…impossible because it isn't adaptable to the specific situation at hand, whatever that may be; but you can't be very adaptable if you practice excess or are intemparate, and these take training to manage - Nichomachean Ethics is a book on proper parenting. Thus I wager Plato saw himself as bringing right knowledge into the Sicilian courts, whereas Aristotle saw himself in a much more practical light in both Philip and Alexander's…
on “Plato in Sicily” ↗This is basically Aristotle 101. If you like this sentiment, grandpa A should be on your reading list. Not that he’s objectively correct, but Nichomachean Ethics is the foundation on top of which the European ideas of “good” and “evil” are built.
on “Opt Out of Cynicism” ↗Penguin Classics edition of Nichomachean Ethics has a great introduction and is very readable.
on “Who can claim Aristotle?” ↗I was reading Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics, and he talks about being liberal and magnificent with money. I'm in Vietnam now, things are cheap-ish anyways, so I decided I'm make the transition towards doing that. I wrote up my first experiences…
on “Bribing maitre d' to skip the line” ↗…essay would be, if not to be more happy, why pursue a life with great purpose and meaning? Edit--it feels more pompous not to cite my sources than to do so, so I'm getting this mainly from Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics, and equating "happiness," with what he calls "eudaimonea," which is not to be falsely equated with a simple good feeling.
on “There's More to Life Than Being Happy (2013)” ↗