"As we've seen, Aristotle says that developing a friendship based on virtue requires time, familiarity, trust, mutual good will, and mutual sacrifice. Running provides an excellent setting in which these requirements can be met. Running with the same person gives you the chance to spend time with them. Of course, merely spending time with someone doesn't necessarily lead to friendship, much less the type of friendship Aristotle argues is necessary for livinga good life. But running together, because it involves meeting challenges together, and being with your running partner away from computers, cell phones, and television frees you up to develop a deeper friendship. Running five miles with someone on a regular basis provides ample opportunity for familiarity, trust, mutual good will, and mutual sacrifice to develop." - Michael W. Austin - from Running & Philosophy: a marathon for the mind
Premise 1 - Friendship is based on many key qualities.
Premise 2 - Running is a good way to exhibit these qualities.
Conclusion - Running is a good way to create and develop friendships.
After running on cross country and track teams for two years I am a firm believer of this conclusion, but does it truly follow from the premises, and have I stated them correctly as they appear in the quote without changing their meanings?
I think your standard form of the argument is pretty good. You stated the premises as simply as possible without missing the meaning of them. Also, i think that given the information on this page, your conclusion does follow from the premises. Good work :)
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think this is some pretty decent work. Given the passage, you have simplified the statements efficiently.
ReplyDeleteMy question to you is, do you think you could go a step further and turn each quality into a claim and present premises to support each?
I like KK's suggestion. This would enable to you look at each of Aristotle's elements of friendship separately, in case they happen to play out differently in a running situation.
ReplyDelete