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Happiness in Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics"
According to the definition of human happiness in Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics" the goal of human life ought to be the seeking of happiness, when pursuing all things. This may be contrasted with merely living for the sake of momentary bodily, social, or even personally gratifying pleasure. True, pleasure is often mistaken for happiness. But unlike pleasure, happiness is a moral obligation, shared by all peoples, rather than something that is dependant upon others and the esteem or judgment of others or even other sources. Rather, to seek happiness is a uniform moral bond all human beings labor under, for they should attain a complete state of the highest and fullest happiness as the ultimate purpose of their lives, rather than merely seeking out pleasure and momentary and societal approbation in a variety of forms.
"Verbally there is very general agreement; [that happiness is the goal of human life] for both the general run of men and people of superior refinement say that it is...
For the former think it is some plain and obvious thing, like pleasure, wealth, or honor." In other words, human beings "differ," about happiness not simply in the sense that different things provide people with happiness, but because most people lack a full and sustaining sense of what happiness truly is, and mistake the gratifications they receive from others for happiness. (I: 4)
According to Aristotle as well, the "consideration of the prominent types of life shows that people of superior refinement and of active," that is of a public, "disposition identify happiness with honor; for this is, roughly speaking, the end of the political life. But it seems too superficial," rather the word virtue, he states, is better.
Virtue, is both a private as well as a public value, states Aristotle, taking up Plato's contention that the aim of human life…
Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle said, "The good for man is an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue, or if there are more kinds of virtue than one, in accordance with the best and most perfect kind" (). According to Aristotle and his Nicomachean ethics, there are two kinds of virtue: intellectual and moral. Intellectual virtues are learned by instruction and moral virtues are learned by practice. According to his theory,
Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle explains his theory of virtue and how to become virtuous. The main premise of Aristotle's theory of virtue rests upon the ideal of the "highest good" (Nic. Ethics I 2). Aristotle defines this as happiness, or living well. After this, Aristotle goes on to determine what exactly it means to "live well." He begins this process by stating what does not constitute living well. At first
If this was the case, and this transformation of reasoning did occur, then that person would be truly virtuous. There are many strengths to Aristotle's argument, as well. One of the main strengths is the discussion of the two kinds of virtue - the kind that comes from habit, and the kind that comes from learning. This would work to demonstrate why some people change so much as they grow
Acting in accordance with virtuous principles is a key to attaining happiness. In Book Three of the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle explains the difference between voluntary and involuntary action as well as total passivity. In the first chapter of the book, the philosopher explains the importance of free will and taking action in determining ethical behavior. Aristotle concludes that the only truly ethical acts are those that are chosen by
These [bad effects of pleasure and pain] are the reason why people actually define the virtues as ways of being unaffected and undisturbed [by pleasures and pains]" (1104b21-25) It is not imperative to remain indifferent or unaffected by both pleasure and pain to be virtuous, it is only essential that we have the right feelings of pleasure and pain at the right time. Therefore, he goes on defining virtue as
perceive as Aristotle's best work known work on ethics, Nichomachean Ethics, sheds light on what Aristotle believed was happiness. "…happiness would seem to need this sort of prosperity added also; that is why some people identify happiness with good fortune, while others < eacting from one extreme to the other> identify it with virtue" (Aristotle, Irwin, & Fine, p. 360). His perception of what is happiness implies: that it itself is