Nicomachean Ethics vs. A Wild Sheep Chase

Nicomachean Ethics

"Nicomachean Ethics," written by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, is a foundational text in Western philosophy. This work explores the nature of ethical virtue and the path to a good and fulfilling life. Aristotle delves into concepts such as happiness (eudaimonia), virtue (arete), and the importance of practical wisdom (phronesis). The text is a detailed examination of how individuals can achieve moral and intellectual virtues through habitual practice and rational deliberation.

A Wild Sheep Chase

A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami is a strange, offbeat novel that blends a detective story with surreal, dreamlike elements. It follows an unnamed, easygoing narrator who gets pulled into a bizarre search for a mysterious sheep with a star-shaped mark on its back. The story kicks off when a powerful figure in Japan’s underworld pressures the narrator into finding this sheep, which seems to hold some kind of mystical influence. The book is set in late 1970s Japan, moving from urban Tokyo to the cold, isolated landscapes of Hokkaido. Along the way, the narrator is joined by his girlfriend, whose unusually perceptive ears give the story an added touch of the weird. They meet a cast of quirky characters—a shadowy secretary, a reclusive professor obsessed with sheep, and a man in a sheep costume who speaks in riddles. What stands out is how ordinary things—bars, hotels, quiet towns—become strange and otherworldly. Murakami mixes humor, loneliness, and philosophical musings, all wrapp...

Reviews

Reviews

Pros
ItemVotesUpvote
Essential reading for students of philosophy and ethics1
Practical wisdom1
Offers profound reflections on ethics and the good life1
Cons
ItemVotesUpvote
Dense and complex1
Pros
ItemVotesUpvote
More accessible than some of Murakami’s other works1
Good starting point for new Murakami readers1
Recognized with the 1982 Noma Literary Newcomer's Prize1
Cons
ItemVotesUpvote
No cons yet, would you like to add one?

Related Content & Alternatives

Related Content & Alternatives

Frequently Asked Questions

feedback