Nicomachean Ethics: Aristotle's Pursuit Of Happiness

person’s faith, if all they have to do is believe they could potentially arrive at that place of happiness without attaining many virtues at all. Also, there is the happiness of a child. Children have no worries of virtues, or wondering if they are happy. Children are innocent and do not wonder about whether or not they are truly experiencing happiness. Aristotle however would say that this is exactly why they wouldn’t be happy: because they lack understanding about what they are doing and why they would be happy. I don’t think this is the case. I suggest that children can be happy, and adults often remember their childhood being memorable and having some of the most happy times. Aristotle believes that happiness is life’s ultimate goal

He says that happiness is a certain sort of activity of the soul in accord with complete virtue (Nicomachean Ethics 1102 a5). Aristotle makes it thoroughly clear that happiness is an essential part of the human life and that achieving eudaimonia is the ultimate goal of this life. Aristotle draws interesting conclusions of happiness coinciding with the development of good virtues, and a good physical and mental well being. Aristotle describes happiness as being an activity. He describes happiness as something that we do and not who we are. Happiness is not a mental or emotional state of being but rather a way to which we exercise moral virtues. Aristotle compares the activity of happiness to a person competing in the Olympic Games. He says that the prizes are not for the finest and strongest, but for those who are merely participating because it is only those who win. He says that this very notion is true to life because even among good people, only those who act correctly win the prize (Nicomachean Ethics 1099a5). This means that courage is a virtue, and the courageousness within a person is lying dormant inside until they decide to act upon this virtue. This means that they are in fact virtuous, but not happy. Happiness can only ultimately be attained by exercising

All of the regular activities that we do on a daily basis have some sort of end. However most of these ends are only relative. They are actually only means to other ends. Aristotle says that every action and decision is the end, since it is for the sake of that end that there an end for that action (Nicomachean Ethics 1097 a21). This means that there are multiple ways to act but there is only one genuine virtue, which is happiness.

Many aspects of this life seem to conceive pleasure, which is simply just short term gratification (Nicomachean Ethics 1095 b18). It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking earthly desires like wealth, sex, money, and honor will lead us to happiness. These things are only temporary and do not lead to fulfillment. Complete happiness is of the highest good and the end of all of these things we aim for. This means that it is important that we attempt to live a life of complete virtue, which is of good moral character. This includes making good choices in the grand scheme of life, and not for just for the