Argument Essay: Aristotle's Pursuit Of Happiness

Although, as Aristotle believes, everything we do in our life leads to some good, he makes it clear that some goods are subordinate to others, and that the greatest good is happiness. He believes that the knowledge of this good carries weight for our way of life, and makes us better able, like archers who have a target to aim at, to hit the right mark (Aristotle 2). To possess the ability to achieve this ultimate end; however, we must first have some sort of understanding as to what happiness is. The definition of happiness typically varies from person to person, some think it’s pleasure or something found in someone you love, others believe it lies in wealth and success, but Aristotle defines it as

In Book 1 of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, he argues that happiness is the best good, and the goal of an individual and of those leading and governing society. Here, happiness is understood as both living well and doing well, rather than the convention sense of happiness as an emotion. According to Aristotle, happiness is achieved though actions involving reason and in accord with virtue, or the best of the virtues of there are more than one. In this paper, I will provide a brief overview of the work and its author, then proceed to provide an overview of the ideas expressed and the argumentation supporting them, before finally performing an analysis and critique of the ideas expressed.

Happiness? Is happiness the best good? In book 1 chapter 7 Aristotle brings up the topic happiness and is it the best good for humans. He says “But presumably the remark that the best good is happiness is apparently something [generally] agreed, and we still need a clearer statement of what the best good is. Perhaps, then, we shall find this if we first grasp the function of a human being” (1097b22-25 Aristotle). That statement is saying the main function of Humans is to look for happiness. Aristotle thinks happiness is to broad of an assumption and that there are several types of happiness that branch off of happiness its self.

John Stuart Mill and Aristotle both address the idea of happiness as the goal of human life. They explain that all human action is at the foundation of their moral theories. Mill addresses the Greatest Happiness Principle, which is the greatest amount of pleasure to the least amount of pain. Similarly, Aristotle addresses happiness through the idea of eudaimonia and human flourishing. According to Aristotle, eudaimonia is happiness, it is the state of contemplation that individuals are in when they have reached actualized happiness. Also referred to as happiness or human flourishing, it is the ultimate goal of human beings. Happiness is “living well and acting well.” He explains that once general happiness becomes recognized as the moral standard, natural sentiment will nurture feelings that promote utilitarianism. According to Aristotle, happiness is a state of being. Both Mill and Aristotle agree that in order to attain true happiness, human beings must engage in activities that are distinct to humans and that make them happy. Aristotle’s idea of eudaimonia and human flourishing is a more compelling argument than Mill’s for happiness and the final end because Aristotle explains that the virtues bring human beings to happiness.

This paper will focus on Aristotle’s claim that happiness is an activity and not just a momentary pleasure. Skeptics claim happiness is a state of mind and Aristotle is wrong to claim that happiness is an ongoing pursuit a person must actively strive for during one’s life. This paper argues that Aristotle is correct when he states that happiness is an activity, the central purpose of human life and a goal in itself that individuals strive for throughout the entirety of their lifetime and ultimately attain rather than a feeling a person experiences at any given moment. First, Aristotle’s view of happiness will be explained and then I will present objections to Aristotle’s claim that happiness is an activity. Lastly, I will address the

In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle discussed his theory of happiness and attempted to answer the many questions related to what makes people happy. Questions asked were “What is the purpose of human existence?” “What is the end goal we are trying to achieve so that we know how we should conduct ourselves?” With so many people seeking pleasure through a variety of means such a wealth, reputation, personal belongings and friends, they may be missing the mark when it comes to happiness. While these each have a value attached to them, none of them contains what is truly needed to be described as the “good” we should be aiming toward. According to Aristotle, to be an ultimate end, an act must be self-sufficient and final, “that which is always desirable in itself and never for the sake of something else” (Nicomachean Ethics, 1097a30-34)

His views on true happiness were different then what we think happiness entails. Aristotle thinks that when we are children, we don’t know what happiness is, therefore children couldn’t be happy. I think he was trying to help us understand the reason for this is, happiness to them is more of luxury, such as playing outside or playing video games. Children haven’t endured stressors or any other life problems to fully gain happiness. As we mature in life, we see and understand the value of life and we find what makes us truly happy. These are the things we need, not desire. Aristotle’s way of seeking happiness is defined in a more deeper meaning of life. He used the Greek word Eudaimonia, which is occasionally translated as ‘flourishing’ or ‘success’ rather than ‘happiness’ (Warburton, 2012 pg.11). The choices we make, such as the type of person we want to be and the things we want to do in life is how we flourish and succeed. Although, our Eudaimonia can be affected by of life happenings, such as losing a loved one, our moral character, the way we respond and deal with these events is how we continue to have

Aristotle is an ancient Greek philosopher who has played a part in subjects such as mathematics and ethics. As a known student of Plato, Aristotle’s knowledge on various topics immensely affected people’s philosophical views. For Aristotle, his definitions of human happiness and a good life consist of being virtuous all throughout life. Happiness comes from being an overall good person; this is “the best way to lead a life and give it meaning” (Psychology Today). According to Aristotle, happiness is a continuing achievement. “Happiness is more a question of behavior and of habit—of ‘virtue’—than of luck; a person who cultivates such behaviors and habits is able to bear his

Aristotle defines happiness as an ultimate good, and is pursued by every individual, not because it is a means to an end to another state but rather for its sake. It is this qualification that makes a distinction between happiness and pleasure seeking (LaFollette, 370).

In the text, Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle, but translated and edited by Roger Crisp, a few questions stand out for consideration. “What is happiness?” “What makes me happy and why?” In this text, Aristotle examines the main factors of happiness which consists of gratification, the life of money-making, the life of action, and the philosophical life. He explains what is needed for happiness and what it means to be a truly happy human being. In his definition of

From the beginning of their evolution, human beings have been searching for the meaning of happiness. While many may see this to be an inconsequential question, others have devoted entire lives to the search for happiness. One such person who devoted a great deal of thought to the question of man's happiness was the famous ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle. In his book The Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle discussed the meaning of happiness and what it meant to live a good life. He asserted that the devise which has been invented to create what is good for man is called "politics;" and it "uses the rest of the sciences"¦so that this end must be the good for man." (Aristotle, I, ii) Aristotle also identified four general means by which people live their lives in order to gain happiness, but stated that only one was a means by which a person could actually attain it. According to Aristotle, it was not political power, wealth, or worldly pleasures by which a person could achieve real happiness, it was living a contemplative life.

Aristotle says that, “Happiness depends on ourselves.” Aristotle revered happiness as a central purpose of human life and a goal in itself. He also said that The Supreme Good is Happiness. He made more time for the topic of happiness than any person prior to the modern era. Happiness is not made by the success or pleasures we have nor does the pain we suffer tarnish it. Aristotle helps us understand this with his works on happiness. First, he says that children cannot be happy. It was kind of a shock for me when I read this because being happy is something that parents always want for their children and it is something that a lot of people like to pride themselves in. Like, if their children are happy then they are good parents.

Aristotle, in Nicomachean Ethics I.7, defined happiness as the central good that motivates all of man’s endeavors (function), in that happiness “is in itself worthy of pursuit more final than that which is worthy of pursuit for the sake of something else… is always desirable in itself and never for the sake of something else.” (NE 1.7, 1097a 32-34) What is interesting to note here, is that in this sense, happiness, rather than a mental state of the mind, is perceived as a good; happiness is something that serves an end – in other words, the goal of a function. If happiness is the ultimate purpose, then what is the human function that achieves it? More problematically, this assumes that humans must have a function in the first place! In my essay, I will examine Aristotle’s argument for the function of man, and attempt to provide commentary that serves to support his position.

Aristotle examined many people around him and analyzed the way they lived their lives. He found out that some were able to live good lives, but some did not achieve that goal. He also noticed that they all did different things with the purpose to achieve happiness. Some ended up dissatisfied with their lives through their journey; however they all wanted a good and happy life. Thus the highest good for a human is happiness. Furthermore, as Aristotle explained in his book the Nicomachean Ethics happiness is an activity of the soul accord with virtue.

Aristotle contemplates that happiness can only be achieved if human actions are in accordance with their ability to reason. For this he concedes that human beings who are capable of reasoning are the only ones who can be happy. Aristotle considers happiness as the highest form of good because it is decided for its own particular purpose as opposed to an obligation. It is an intrinsic good in which it is those for the soul that are the most vital. Aristotle classifies human actions to fall into this category. There has been a debate about what happiness is really comprised of, whether it be honor, wealth, knowledge, pleasure or something more meaningful in relation to one’s soul. On the other hand, he acknowledges that happiness is unattainable in living for pleasure because a life filled with pleasures could be submissive. Together with honor he argues that respect is only attainable depending on what others consider (to