Aristotle
At the very beginning of Book I Chapter XIII, Aristotle states that "happiness is a certain activity of soul in conformity with perfect virtue" (Ethics 1102a). What he means here, quite simply, is that true happiness can only be defined as the state that is achieved in a perfectly virtuous person; it cannot be defined any other way -- not by pleasure, or bestowed honor, or wealth, or any other illusion. This paper will explore the reasoning behind this belief.
The generality of men," Aristotle states, "identify the Good [or Happiness] with pleasure, and accordingly are content with the Life of Enjoyment" (Ethics 1095b). He explains later (particularly in Book X) what is incomplete about the "Life of Enjoyment," but the gist of his argument is quite clear, almost obvious, to us today: Happiness, we feel, is something Human, something that other animals will never achieve because it is a Human thing, someway bound to contemplation or self-recognition; as Aristotle states, "The whole of the life of the gods is blessed, and that of man is so in so far as it contains some likeness to the divine activity; but none of the other animals possess happiness, because they are entirely incapable of contemplation" (Ethics 1178b). Since pleasure is clearly not a solely human thing, it cannot by itself account for happiness.
Aristotle's description of honor is in some ways more interesting. "Men of refinement," he declares, "... And men of action think that the good is honor -- for this may be said to be the end of the Life of Politics. But honor after all seems too superficial to be the Good for which we are seeking; since it appears to depend on those who confer it more than on him upon whom it is conferred" (Ethics 1095b). And, as Aristotle and most of us since believe, Happiness is something personal and subjective,...
The best forms of government are those in which the leaders work for the benefit of the whole community. Little governments are actually good, as most act in favor of a specific social class, and not of the entire community. People tend to choose the form of government which benefits them the most, whether it is an oligarchy or a democracy. Plato could argue that the Aristotelian citizenship politics is completely
Aristotle & Metaphysics Aristotle calls the science he is seeking 'first philosophy or theology'. The objective of this study is to answer the question of what does first philosophy or theology consist and what is its object. In addition, this study will ask in what ways that it differs from other sciences and in what sense is it first? In the final analysis this study will answer if Aristotle's 'first philosophy
Aristotle and a Great Workplace (APA Citation) Aristotle and a Great Workplace From the beginning of its evolution, human beings have been searching for the meaning of happiness. While many may seem this to be an inconsequential questions, 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. His
Aristotle's Poetics Elements of Tragedy According to Aristotle, tragedy needs to be an imitation of life according to the law of probability or necessity. Tragedy is serious, complete, and has magnitude. It must have a beginning, middle, and end and be spoken in language that is fit for noble characters. Furthermore it must be acted, as opposed to epic poetry, which is narrated. Tragedy shows rather than tells. Finally it must result
Acting in accordance with virtuous principles is a key to attaining happiness. In Book Three of the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle explains the difference between voluntary and involuntary action as well as total passivity. In the first chapter of the book, the philosopher explains the importance of free will and taking action in determining ethical behavior. Aristotle concludes that the only truly ethical acts are those that are chosen by
Certainly, rhetoric lends itself to the discovery of truth, as truth (Aristotle suggests) always makes more intuitive and intellectual sense compared to falsehood, and so equally talented rhetoricians will be more convincing sharing the truth than sharing falsehood. However, critics have pointed out that there is so "tension between Aristotle's epistemological optimism and his attempt to come to terms with rhetoric as a culturally and contextually specific social institution....
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