Book 1
14
And it is a hazardous way of proving that the Absolute Good is unity to say that numbers aim at unity; for it is not clearly stated how they aim at it, but the expression is used in too unqualified a manner; and how can one suppose that things not possessing life can have appetition?
15
One ought to study this matter carefully, and not make an unreasoned assumption about something as to which it is not easy to attain certainty even with the aid of reason.—And the statement that all existing things desire some one good is not true; each thing seeks its own particular good, the eye sight, the body health, and similarly another thing another good.
16
Such then are the difficulties indicating that the Absolute Good does not exist,—and that it is of no use for political science, but that this has a special good of its own, as have the other sciences also—for instance the good of gymnastics is good bodily condition.
17
This sentence reads like a mere note. The reference seems to be to Aristot. Eud. Eth. 1217b 16-1218a 32, especially Aristot. Eud. Eth. 1217a 19-25.Further there is also what has been written in the discourse: either the Class-form of the good is in itself useful to no science, or it is useful to all alike.
17
Further it is not practicable.
18
And similarly the good as universal also is not an Absolute Good (for universality might be an attribute of even a small good), and also it is not practicable; for medical science does not study how to procure an attribute that belongs to anything, but how to procure health, and similarly also each of the other practical sciences.
19
But good has many meanings, and there is a part of it that is beautiful, and one form of it is practicable but another is not. The sort of good that is practicable is that which is an object aimed at, but the good in things unchangeable is not practicable.
