Nicomachean Ethics By Aristotle Analysis

Aristotle quoted in his book, The Nicomachean Ethics, “These virtues are formed in man by his own doing, the actions…The good of man is a working of the soul in the way of excellence in a complete life.” This quote reveals that unlike Hobbes, Aristotle believes that man can achieve happiness through his actions throughout his life, rather than having power to gain what they think is happiness. I agree with Aristotle that happiness is achieved over a lifetime of work of the soul and virtue. Hobbes on the other hand disagrees or rather, counters, Aristotle and converses about happiness being achieved by having as much power in your life as you can. In the following paragraphs, will be an explanation of how Hobbes and Aristotle believe people

What is happiness or how can I be happy? All these questions are acknowledged by Aristotle and Hobbes. To start off, Aristotle believed that when, like with anything, you put in hard work the outcome is always great. Same thing with happiness. Aristotle illustrated happiness as a function that led to good with the use of virtue, in his book The Nicomachean Ethics. To further understand what he meant by function leads to good with virtue, he used the example of a carpenter and his work. The carpenter works with wood (function), but a good carpenter does good things with wood. When the carpenter performs his job well, he builds things with the wood that can be beneficial to others. When one accomplishes living their life well they are on the right track to obtaining

Our virtues show our character and thoughts. If we are virtuous in every aspect of our lives and are willing to help anyone with the right intentions and thoughts, it brings us to more happiness later on in life. You obtain happiness at the end of your life when you can look yourself in the mirror and can say you have forgiven your enemies and bad decisions you have made and can say to yourself I do not regret anything I have done. If you can honestly do this, you can say you have happiness. Controversially, Hobbes argues that happiness is not achieved through a lifetime of work and nurturing of the soul. He believes that the more power one has the happier one gets. Since Hobbes things that people are selfish and have the appetite for desire, power is the only option for happiness. In Hobbes book, Leviathan, he interprets power as our present means to attain some future apparent good. We want to be good and happy so power is our way to