The emotional dimension of friendship: Notes on Aristotle’s account of philia in Rhetoric II 4

Abstract

This article endeavors to give an answer to the question whether and to what extent philia (friendship), as it is treated by Aristotle in Rhetoric II 4, can be considered a genuine emotion as, for example, fear and anger are. Three anomalies are identified in the definition and the account of philia (and of the associated verb philein), which suggest a negative response to the question. However, these anomalies are analysed and explained in terms of the specific notes of philia in order to show that Rhetoric II 4 does allow for a consideration of friendship as a genuine emotion.