“Are You Happy Now?”

Happiness is a term that typically has different definitions. Some define happiness, as the things one possess; others may define it as doing a good deed and the feeling one has after doing a good deed. Merriam-Webster defines happiness as, “a state of well-being and contentment” . Even Aristotle acknowledges that everyone disagrees on the definition of happiness because we all have a different thought-process and prior knowledge. Even though there are many definitions to happiness, both Aristotle and John Stuart Mill take a similar approach when attempting to define happiness in their books. Aristotle and Mill discuss their theories of happiness and pleasure, and their views of virtue in ethics and its relation to happiness. Aristotle and Mill may have been writing at different times, and did not necessarily have the same beliefs, but both philosophers took a similar position when defining happiness.

Aristotle was born in 384 BCE, and died in 322 BCE . There is no exact date listed for when Aristotle completed Nicomachean Ethics, but many believe that it was written around 350-340 BCE . Aristotle was a scientist, as well as a philosopher. Some of the discussions Aristotle has within Nicomachean Ethics were approached from a biological perspective. Even though Aristotle is writing a book on ethics, many subjects of Nicomachean Ethics are political. The ultimate thing Aristotle was trying to do in Nicomachean Ethics was to exam the lives of virtuous human beings.

Hundreds of years later, John Stuart Mill released his novel, On Liberty and Utilitarianism. John Stuart Mill practiced of Utilitarianism, “the belief that a morally good action is one that helps the greatest number of people” . Mill uses the idea of “the greatest ...

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... Aristotle and Mill when defining happiness, they have similar ways of approaching the topic of happiness. It is a possibility that Mill is responding to Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, from a Utilitarian view. Both Aristotle and Mill agreed that a man has greater capacity for happiness and reason. Though they have many similarities, Aristotle and Mill have many differences. Overall, Mill believed that a person achieved happiness by experiencing pleasure, or absence of pain. While, Aristotle believed that happiness came is from living out one’s full potential and to live with reason in mind.

Works Cited

"Happiness." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.

Shields, Christopher. "Aristotle." Stanford University. Stanford University, 25 Sept. 2008. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.

"Utilitarianism." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.