Aristotles Theory of the Good Life - 968 Words

According to Aristotle, the good life is the happy life, as he believes happiness is an end in itself. In the Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle develops a theory of the good life, also known as eudaimonia, for humans. Eudaimonia is perhaps best translated as flourishing or living well and doing well. Therefore, when Aristotle addresses the good life as the happy life, he does not mean that the good life is simply one of feeling happy or amused. Rather, the good life for a person is the active life of functioning well in those ways that are essential and unique to humans. Aristotle invites the fact that if we have happiness, we do not need any other things making it an intrinsic value. In contrast, things such as money or power are†¦show more content†¦Aristotles point is not that amusement is in and of itself a bad thing; he believes that amusement does have some value. It holds value because pleasure and amusement can revive and rejuvenate us, permitting us to lead a life c onsisting of virtue with improved strength. We pursue amusement so that we can participate in serious activities on the quest of genuine happiness and satisfaction. Nowadays, it seems like most of us have this notion reversed. We value amusement and entertainment compared to almost anything else. We have a profound desire for amusement. We work harder and longer so that we can afford to entertain ourselves in new and sometimes expensive ways. However, to make this our highest good in life is to neglect the authentic happiness that comes from being a truly good human being (or attempting to be such a person). Happiness is a virtue. Though in amusement, we can sense the presence of happiness, that is, something that is allowing us to feel happiness, in the end, we must decide to turn away from the amusement in order to maintain our happiness. Therefore, true and lasting happiness, in this sense cannot ultimately be found in amusement. However, you must also associate the word amusement with distraction-- something that is outside our daily routine that for some reasonShow MoreRelatedReview of Aristotles Nichomachean Ethics1388 Words   |  6 PagesPeters with an introduction by Hye-Kyung Kim. Aristotle was one of the great early philosophers who ventured to speak to humans about how they conducted themselves as they related to others; however, some of Aristotle’s ideologies were debated by his counterparts for hundreds of years. Aristotle’s plethora of ideas was and has been adopted by past and present philosophers as they approached subject matter that had very few definiti ve answers. Aristotle was born in circa 384 B. C. and died in 322 BRead MoreThe Ethics Of Plato And Aristotle977 Words   |  4 Pageswill focus on their theories on the good life as a life of justice, censorship, knowledge and the good life. I will first explain Plato’s ethics. Plato was a philosopher, both a rationalist and absolutist. According to Plato, people must be schooled to obtain certain kinds of knowledge for example mathematics, philosophy etc. The training will give them the ability to know the nature of the good life. Not many people have the mental ability to learn what the good life is. They have to beRead MoreExamining the Ethics of Plato and Aristotle Essay1063 Words   |  5 Pagesview on their ethics. I will concentrate on their theories on the good life as a life of justice, censorship, knowledge and the good life. I will first examine Plato’s ethics. Plato was a philosopher who was both a rationalist and absolutist. According to his view, people must be schooled to acquire certain kinds of knowledge i.e. mathematics, philosophy and so forth. This training will give them the capacity to know the nature of the good life. Since, evil is due to lack of knowledge. Not allRead MoreAristotle’s Theory of Virtue and Happiness1621 Words   |  7 PagesAristotle’s Theory of Virtue and Happiness Aristotle was one of the most respected philosophers of all time. He wrote on many subjects covering a wide range of topics; politics, psychology, metaphysics, logic and ethics. In the article â€Å"Nature of Virtue† written by Aristotle, his theory of a persons happiness and good morals is explained. I agree that a human’s goal in life is to be happy, and to live a good life but happiness and good do not come hand in hand. In this paper, I disagreeRead MoreTo What Extent Do Modern Versions of Virtue Ethics Address the Weaknesses of Aristotle’s Teachings on Virtue?1047 Words   |  5 PagesTo what extent do modern versions of Virtue Ethics address the weaknesses of Aristotle’s teachings on virtue? Aristotle’s idea of Virtue Ethics was influenced by his belief that all things and all humans have a purpose (a telos). For him a complete explanation of something has to include its final cause or purpose which essentially is to realise its potential. Virtue Ethics itself is concerned with the characteristics of a person rather than how a person behaves and it is this he outlined in hisRead MoreAristotle And Kant s Theory Of Justice1327 Words   |  6 PagesImmanuel Kant is essentially to compare modern philosophy to classic philosophy. Aristotle’s theory of justice links together ethics and politics; while Kant’s theory of justice is based on strictly defined principles of morality. Modern philosopher Michael J. Sandel provides a detailed analysis of each theory in his book Justice: What’s the Right Thing to do? Although the key features of Aristotle’s and Kant’s theories are mostly different in nature, there are also some key similarities between theRead MoreAristotle s Views On Human Happiness1022 Words   |  5 Pagessupposed function is a practical aspect of life that comes from the rational part within humans. The use of the term practical suggests that there is a predetermined conduct which comes as a result of having rational capabilities. This ultimate good of an individual should stem from this and therefore naturally flow from performing your function to a high standard. In order to attain true happiness, this must be repeated throughout one’s life. Aristotle’s view can be considered to be flawed as heRead MoreAristotle Vs. Mill : The Debate On Happiness1750 Words   |  7 Pagesout the ages. Aristotle and John Stuart Mill are two philosophers who had similar ideas regarding the definition of happiness, but argued different theories on what constitutes happiness and what is required to be truly happy. John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics both agree that happiness is essential to a good life but differ on what an individuals happiness consists of. They both recognized the importance of happiness to man and aimed at defining it. AristotleRead MoreEssay about Aristotles Ethics593 Words   |  3 PagesAristotle’s thoughts on ethics conclude that all humans must have a purpose in life in order to be happy. I believe that some of the basics of his ideas still hold true today. This essay points out some of those ideas. It was Aristotle’s belief that everything, including humans, had a telos or goal in life. The end result or goal was said to be happiness or â€Å"eudaimonia†. He explained that eudaimonia was different for each person, and that each had a different idea of what it meant. Further, heRead MoreAristotle s Ethical Theory Of Ethics Essay1194 Words   |  5 Pages and virtues of human beings. Ethics has to do with what is good or bad. It can be summed as a method by which we categorize our values and persue them. Aristotle’s Ethical Theory Aristotles philosophical expanation of ethics was an attempt to offer a rational response to the question of how humans should best live. Aristotle defined ethics as guiding morals and principles that construes humans towards living a better, fullfilled life as a result of being prudence by applying practical wisdom in