Types of Friendship

All friendships fall within one or three categories of increasing perfection.

In general there are according to Aristotle three different types of things that people like and three corresponding types of friendships. People like things that are useful to them and so there are friendships based on utility. People like pleasure, and so there are friendships based on pleasure. Finally, some things are inherently likable because they are inherently good and likewise there are friendships between good people based solely upon their virtuous characters.  

Friendships based on utility arise most often when people become associated for the sake of a mutual benefit. These are the sorts of friendships that exist between business associates or politicians. They are also says Aristotle, the weakest  sorts of friendships because "those who are friends for the sake of utility part when the advantage is at an end." Friendships based on pleasure are most common among the young. They are tenuous, however, because people's pleasures change as they get older.

Perfect friendships are those based on the virtuous character of the participants. Aristotle claims that "perfect friendship is the friendship of men who are good and alike in virtue." Such friendships arise because it is inherently pleasurable to share the company of good people. They are perfect because they are the most enduring and because the benefits are the same for both participants. Unfortunately, perfect friendships are likely only among the very old. This is because, as Aristotle explains, it takes many years of experience before one's virtues are refined sufficiently to enter into a perfect friendship.