Aristotle's Ethics

Aristotle’s Ethics

The goal of human life according to Aristotle is Happiness as he stated in Nicomachean Ethics, “Happiness, then, is apparently something complete and self-sufficient, since it is the end of the things achievable in action.” Aristotle states that happiness is not just about being content in life but that one has to have lived their life rationally, well, and to the fullest of their capabilities. Happiness, according to Aristotle, can only be achieved by focusing on mans’ life as parts of a whole.

Aristotle believed that to achieve true happiness there where necessary conditions one had to have. One of those necessary conditions was virtue. Aristotle believed in two types of virtues; virtue of thought and virtue of character. Virtue of thought or intellectual virtues are reached through teaching, while virtue of character or moral virtues is acquired through habit and practice. I think that what Aristotle meant by these virtues was that one had to be well educated not only with intellectual things but have other things like manners as well. Virtue which is the mean, is not too much or too little but the perfect balance. When he states that virtue is the mean between the vices I feel that he is saying that being too smart is not a good thing because in believing you know all you will fail to keep an open mind about other things you do not believe are at your intellectual standards in doing so this could cause you to miss out on certain joys of life. Also when you are ignorant to the knowledge of the most essential information of life, such as how one thinks and feels then you are also missing out on many things that are essential to full happiness. Aristotle also said that external goods were needed in order to a...

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...le’s line of the virtue, or mean, in between the vices. I agree with this but I also think that the right equation to find happiness varies from person to person. Each person has many variables that effect what makes them happy and what does not, such as personalities, cultures, society, etc. I really believe that someone shallow could very much be content with just money, and another person could be happy with only the love of his family and friends and feel wealthier than the rich man. As the times change and also people’s expectations of humans as a whole, I believe that the road to the ultimate goal of life could change or become completely new.

Works Cited

Aristotle. "Nicomachean Ethics." Classics of Western Philosophy. By Steven M. Cahn. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. 279. Print.

Nagel, Thomas. "Aristotle on Eudaimonia." JSTOR. BRILL, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.