Aristotles Ethics and Thoughts Concerning Happiness - Essay Example

Number] Aristotle’s Ethics Aristotle says that “happiness depends on ourselves”, not on anybody else. His theory of happiness described that the purpose of human life is to stay happy and that is the ultimate goal. On the basis of his beliefs, he devoted more space on the ethics of happiness than on any other phenomenon. Happiness, as he drew, depended on the cultivation of virtue; the virtues which are individualistic than the social virtues. Aristotle developed the belief that a happy life would be the one which fulfils a broad range of conditions which includes physical and mental well-being of the individual. The science of happiness was the idea that he introduced as a new field of knowledge. The theory of happiness was developed in the Nicomachean Ethics which was Aristotle’s most famous and influential work. His theory of happiness is highly relevant even today, more than 2000 years later. Aristotle’s theory starts with his belief that the ultimate purpose of human existence and the end goal of life. He believes that major values in life are seeking pleasure, good reputation, and gaining wealth but the chief value towards which humanity should be aimed is happiness. Happiness is the end goal which tends to meet all the other values (Natali 165). An individual, according to Aristotle, achieves the values of pleasure, money and honour only because he believes that they will make him happy. All these values are directed towards happiness but happiness is not a feeling, it is an activity. The most important value of achieving happiness is to have a high moral character. This is called complete virtue under which the humans act according to the virtues but not just a few, but all of them. Aristotle developed the theory that in order to gain happiness, one must strive to gain all the virtues in totality only then will happiness be achieved (Sherman 36). Aristotle writes that the individual who is happy is the one who lives in accordance to complete virtue for the complete life not just for a temporary period. Happiness would be experienced when an individual achieves all the values in his entire lifetime-wealth, knowledge, health, pleasure, friends, etc. These values lead to the perfect human nature that enriches the human life and improves the quality. Achieving these virtues will also require individuals to make difficult choices as the values that are lesser good include immediate pleasure whereas the values with greater good include pain and sacrifice. However, a person can achieve a good morale and eventually complete happiness when he chooses to do the right thing and implements strong efforts in the most difficult situations as well (May 8). Thus for Aristotle, the supreme good for man is to be happy and lead his life with a meaning. If one does this, he will fulfil all the values and goals of life and achieve happiness. Happiness is to lead a life with meaning and completion of all virtues and in accordance to the rational principles. Rational principles are important as pleasure and amusement can also be enjoyed by animals but happiness is a state of mind only for those who want to achieve it (Pakaluk 316). Happiness is a state of mind, an activity in which an individual encompasses the totality of his life. It cannot be temporary as pleasure or sensations but it is the ultimate goal explaining the value of one’s life as it has been lived to the full potential up to the end moment. Happiness, according to Aristotle, measures the completion of life as it has been lived throughout and what it has been in the end. Happiness is the supreme and end goal which means that it can only be measured once the life is over. Does that mean there is no happiness in one’s life rather only when the life is over? Aristotle’s theory of happiness is criticized as it cannot give pronouncements of happiness until the life of an individual is over for example a football game is considered good only when it is over. Thus, even the potential of a flourishing human life cannot say that happiness is achieved. Happiness cannot be realized in the ongoing life. That will be temporary happiness and for Aristotle, happiness is complete, not temporary pleasure (Miller 143). Aristotle’s claims about happiness may be wrong as they are considering the end of life while happiness is something which can be temporary as well. He believes that happiness is something perfect, when all the virtues of life are possessed and achieved which makes a human perfectly and totally happy. This cannot be true as happiness does not depend on the end of life, it can also be achieved in a flourishing life. According to Aristotle, an individual must wait for the end of his life to be able to measure his happiness. There is nothing perfect in this world. Perfection can only be achieved in theories but not in a practical life, which means that no one in this life will ever be happy (Miller 143). Moreover, Aristotle also correlates happiness with good. He believes there is no difference and the person who achieves all the virtues is the one who will gain complete happiness. However, this theory is criticized as it means that a person with an indecent morale will never be able to be happy. Happiness is only for the ones who are good and virtuous (Miller 143). Top of Form Aristotle might have responded to this criticism by presenting the belief that happiness is something permanent, it comes when a person has achieved all the good in his life. It is not something temporary as temporary happiness is not true; it is rather pleasure which lasts for s short while. Happiness is something which comes in life as a state of mind and that state of mind can only be achieved when a person is completely satisfied with his life. And a person is satisfied with his life when he has achieved all the virtues of life-money, health, wealth, knowledge, etc (May 8). A virtuous person is a happy person as he possesses all virtues. These virtues will eventually make the person gain happiness and totality of life. Aristotle’s theory suggests that a person can gain happiness when he makes the right decisions in life and possesses all the virtues. This means that despite happiness being an ultimate or end goal, the road towards happiness will lead the individual to achieve a good morale by making the right decisions and being virtuous. Happiness cannot be achieved by simply enjoying a temporary moment, but it will be achieved through wisdom, possession of virtues, and taking the tough decisions for good going through pain and sacrifices. A person must have a strong will to gain happiness (Pakaluk 316). The constant aim to a perfect virtue and happiness will bring out the good in every person. It is a constant training that the individual goes through aiming for their targets. However, Aristotle also highlighted that it isn’t only important to think about doing right, but it’s also important to actually do the right thing. The ultimate goal of the human life which would being happiness is when the individual puts together all the virtues and brings a comprehensive rational plan for life. Thus, Aristotle’s theory of happiness is relevant even today and despite the criticisms, it is highly believed and studied. Happiness is the good morale and perfect virtue of an individual which can be measured at the totality of life. Bottom of Form Work Cited May, Hope. Aristotle’s Ethics: Moral Development and Human Nature. NY: A & C Black, 2010. Print. Miller, Jon. The Reception of Aristotle’s Ethics. NY: Cambridge University Press, 2012. Print. Natali, Carlo. The Wisdom of Aristotle. USA: SUNY Press, 2001. Print. Pakaluk, Michael. Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics: An Introduction. NY: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Print. Sherman, Nancy. Aristotle’s Ethics: Critical Essays. USA: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2000. Print. Read More