Aristotle's views on ethics and metaphysics

Aristotle's view of happiness is much different than the conceptual one that most individuals recognize. Most individuals view happiness as some form of physical pleasure or the achievement of some honor. It is essentially a hedonistic viewpoint but for Aristotle happiness was an activity which led to a way of life. For Aristotle, happiness involved the accumulation of virtue which he defined as the disposition to act in the right manner (McMahon, 2004). Happiness for Aristotle was living one's life to its fullest potential so that one eventually attains the best version he can. Aristotle did not believe that virtue could be taught or obtained through the process of debate or discussion. Instead, according to Aristotle, virtue is obtained through a life-long process of practice that leads toward some theoretical state of excellence. It is not an isolated act but a continuing habit of acting well where an individual does so deliberately, with full knowledge of what one is doing, and acting accordingly because it is the right and noble thing to do.

Aristotle looked upon virtue as behavior resulting from the mean between excesses, that is, the mean is a place between two vices (Korsgaard, 1986). On the one side there is excess and on the other is deficiency. For example, bravery is virtuous and represents the mean between rashness and cowardice. The rash man faces danger recklessly while the coward avoids it at all costs. The brave man, however, faces and fears what he should and for the right reason. A brave man acts fearlessly and for the sake of what is noble. Aristotle does warn, however, that specific virtues such as bravery are not the same for everyone and circumstances determine where the mean lies.

It was important to Aristotle that virtue and, therefore happiness, be exhibited uniformly. A virtuous person is one who exhibits all the virtues and does not pick and choose how he will behave. A virtuous person exhibits all virtues equally and is, thus, a person of good character.

Aristotle viewed happiness and virtue as the central purpose of human life. Unlike pleasure, which Aristotle considered temporary, happiness is a continual state and is measured by considering the entirety of one's life. What distinguishes man from animals or plants is his capacity to reason. Animals seek pleasure for pleasures sake while human beings have the capacity to reason and, therefore, determine what pleasures to seek that are appropriate. This process of seeking the appropriate pleasures such as heath, wealth, knowledge, etc. allows a human being to enrich his life and lead eventually to a state of happiness. Reasoning allows one to develop good character. Doing the virtuous thing may not always be easy and require a strong effort but it will, according to Aristotle, result in a happy life.

The essential element of Aristotle's approach was his belief that happiness is the ultimate end of human existence. He did not view happiness as a pleasure, but rather, it is the result of a lifetime of exercising virtue. It takes an entire life of living virtuously to attain happiness and, therefore, it is not possible for children or young adults to be considered happy. According to Aristotle, they have simply not lived long enough to develop the level of virtue necessary to attain happiness.