The Pursuit Of Happiness In St. Augustine's The City Of God

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In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle asserts that happiness signifies man’s ultimate purpose in life. He believed happiness was a natural purpose obtained in this life by living with moral and intellectual virtue. In The City of God, St. Augustine contrasts Aristotle by asserting humans have a supernatural purpose and therefore people can’t obtain happiness in this life. True happiness, as an unchanging state of eudaimonia, is everlasting and obtained by establishing peace of the soul and body. Humans are created with a supernatural purpose because they are inclined to suffering on earth, can’t be eternally happy on earth, and therefore can only achieve eternal happiness through supernatural means in heaven. Humans are inclined to suffering on earth. Suffering has been unavoidable for humans since Adam and Eve’s original sin. Evil, as an unwavering opponent to the supreme good, constantly creates misfortune for mankind. Augustine wisely notes that, “There is no pain of body, driving out pleasure, that may not befall the wise man, no anxiety that may not banish calm,” (139). Every human on earth is exposed to the cruelties of this world …show more content…

Evil endures as a never-ending force in opposition of humans, and causes humans immense suffering. This suffering makes it impossible to truly be happy in this life. Although humans can experience brief moments of happiness on earth, they are not truly happy because their happiness will always be temporary. Rather, people attain true happiness in heaven, where the presence of evil is nonexistent and the atmosphere of peace reigns supreme. Happiness, as the ultimate purpose of man’s existence, is attainable only for individuals in heaven who have earned it from an entire life of living under the word of the

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