3 Lives

In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle revolves around the general idea of "good," uncovering the layers of ethical dilemmas in a search for some grand conclusion about the pursuit of goodness. In a particularly interesting passage, the author discusses three categories of lives that are generally followed by the majority of mankind. The acknowledgement of these distinctions lends to the conclusion that goodness represents more a way of living than a way of being. A way of living suggests a more conscious existence rather than a passive existence, implying we have a choice in the direction we choose to move.

Of the three lives, the author writes, "there are three specially prominent Lives, the one just mentioned (Life of Enjoyment), the Life of Politics, and thirdly, the Life of Contemplation. The generality of mankind then show themselves to be utterly slavish, by preferring what is only a life for cattle"(13-15). These three lives function as representations of good; a shallow good, an intellectual and subservient good, and the higher good. Ultimately all humans are pointing to a good but through actions and choices, a path is chosen to one of the three Lives, an interesting theory in theory itself as to how we live. Aristotle seems to go back and forth between the admittance of choice in existence and inevitability in our circumstances; but because he judges the "generality of mankind" with such harshness, we are led to believe that it was in fact their choice to choose the life of servility, in the same way the rest of mankind chose to live a life of higher existence.