Aristotle Vs Aquinas Research Paper

There are many different viewpoints written in the literature of moral philosophy on happiness. While defining happiness differed to some, some found similarities in there definition of happiness. Aquinas’ theories were similar in that he agreed with Aristotle that happiness comes from contemplation. Aquinas and Aristotle both considered happiness to be a critical part of the good life. Aristotle revered happiness as the ultimate end, but Aquinas deemed happiness something that could only be achieved in the afterlife through God, making God the final end. This essay will compare the theory of happiness and how to achieve the good life from the viewpoints of Aristotle and Aquinas.

Aristotle looked at things from a philosophical view. He believed that contemplation, logic and reason pointed the way to achievement and happiness. Aristotle theory was that happiness was an activity of the soul in accordance with excellence and that to which all things aim. He saw this specifically as an end, which he explains as “Happiness, then, is found something perfect and self-sufficient, and is the end to which our actions are directed (pg.256)”. This end could be achieved through the soul’s activity with a rational

Aquinas believed that happiness comes from the contemplation which brings one to know God and his nature. Aquinas follows Aristotle’s theory until the very end. Aquinas agrees with Aristotle that happiness may be chosen by its self as a sort of end, but he saw happiness as something that people could join in only through the grace of God. Aquinas believed that the fellowship of happiness had God as “the source from which happiness flows is lovable by reason of its being the cause of happiness”. According to Aquinas, perfect happiness can only exist after a virtuous vision of the divine essence. Without the grace of God, Aquinas felt that a person could only ever attain imperfect