In The Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle outlines the good life for man is a life of happiness. His concept of friends and friendship, for the most part, is necessary in achieving happiness. In this discussion, I will support it through (1) friendship is necessary and noble, (2) implications of friendship from objects of love, (3) the three kinds of friendship, (4) the preferable friendship, and (5) the need for friendship.

Aristotle describes friendship to be a virtue or implies virtue that is necessary and noble in life (p. 192). He defines virtue as a state of character concerned with choice, lying in a mean (p. 39). This means that virtuous people exercise their virtues by having to choose an intermediate action in response to their thoughts and feelings. Based on this definition, friendship is a virtue because virtuous men become friends when they recognize the virtues in each other. This shows that friendship is a result...