Three Kinds of Friendship

Aristotle devoted two of the ten books of the Nicomachean Ethics to friendship (philia), more than to any single virtue, which shows how important he thought relationships were to a good life. He identified three kinds. Friendships of utility exist because each person benefits, like business partners; friendships of pleasure exist because people enjoy each other's company, as is common among the young. Both kinds are real but tend to end when the benefit or pleasure fades.

The highest kind, friendship of virtue, exists between good people who love each other for their character and wish each other well for the other's sake. Such friendships are rare, take time and trust, and last. Aristotle called a true friend 'another self'. He also connected friendship to politics, arguing that civic friendship holds a city together. His analysis remains influential in discussions of loyalty, community and the value of relationships.