Aristotle believes that people are “fortunate by nature.” While life consists of many problems, fortune is an event that may alter the future positively or negatively. Regarding his account, Aristotle explains being fortunate by nature in his arguments involving reason.
In Eudemian Ethics, Aristotle explains, “…men are fortunate, namely those who generally succeed without the aid of reason.” Reason motivates rationality; therefore fortune is achieved without the means of wisdom due to its rational aspect. On the subject of logic, there isn’t a scientific explanation for our success. If there were ways to control fortune step-by-step, we would have used this knowledge by creating lessons and teaching others about it. As there is no reason managing our situation, abnormal factors can contribute to our good fortune: “…there are fortunate men we see, who though foolish are often successful in matters controlled by fortune” (Aristotle, 1247a 4-5). For example, there was the famous genius Albert Einstein. He was a brilliant physicist who constructed important theories, but he had his flaws. Not only was Einstein known to be socially awkward with his absent-minded behavior, he grew up with a speech impediment and failed his university entrance exam.
Fortune is consistent due to the pattern formed when “it always and usually produces the same result.” At this time, it would be prudent to point out that this is a valid point that helps differentiate fortune and luck. A common mistake is when people believe fortune and luck are interchangeable terms. This is not true because fortune is considered to be a stable constant through events and happens periodically in life. After being fortunate several times, it is believe...
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...f usually makes a debate or philosophical argument difficult because readers may not support a religious view.
Although I have a little doubt lingering against Aristotle’s view on people “fortunate by nature,” he left very little room for error in my opinion. While reading his account, he made sure to include a counter example for each reason given and explain why it would not work out. It strengthened his argument and made it extremely hard to criticize his work, but nevertheless it was a short interesting read.
Works Cited
Aristotle and Richard McKeon, The Basic Works of Aristotle. (New York: Random House, 1941). 1248b 27-8. For all further citations please refer to (Aristotle, line number).
Alex, “10 Strange Facts About Einstein.” Neatorama Exclusives. 26 Mar. 2007, 30 Jan. 2012. .
This argument developed as a respond to natural philosophers, who argue that the results of nature/natural processes occur just by accident but not for an end (198b16). Aristotle argues that events and results that come to be by chance only are present a few times. However, results of natural sequences or actions happen very often, and this is a sign that they must happen for the sake of some end not only by chance. Therefore, results of nature and actions must be only for the sake of some end. The argument states,
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics. Rpt. in Ethical Theories: A Book of Readings second edition. Ed. A. I. Melden. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1967. 106-109.
I chose to write about Aristotle and his beliefs about how the virtuous human being needs friends from Book VIII from Nicomachean Ethics. In this essay I will talk about the three different kinds of friendship that (Utility, Pleasure, and Goodness) that Aristotle claims exist. I will also discuss later in my paper why Aristotle believes that Goodness is the best type of friendship over Utility or Pleasure. In addition to that I will also talk about the similarities and differences that these three friendships share between one another. And lastly I will argue why I personally agree with Aristotle and his feelings on how friendship and virtue go hand in hand and depend on each other.
Haslip, S. (January, 2013). Aristotle's Theory of the Good Life: A Consideration of the Role of Luck in the Good Life and the Concept of Self-Sufficiency. Available: http://www.quodlibet.net/articles/haslip-aristotle.shtml. Last accessed 27 April, 2014.
Due to Aristotle believing that he is this non flaw having individual, a person who is so highly above everyone else; only because he is so well educated, does he attempt to intercept the coming destiny. He lacks the part of humanity that everyone else seems to have, the ability to accept passion. Seen within Alexander it proves to be a flaw that Aristotle tries with...
In conclusion, Aristotle’s elucidation of happiness is based on a ground of ethics because happiness to him is coveted for happiness alone. The life of fame and fortune is not the life for Aristotle. Happiness is synonymous for living well. To live well is to live with virtue. Virtue presents humans with identification for morals, and for Aristotle, we choose to have “right” morals. Aristotle defines humans by nature to be dishonored when making a wrong decision. Thus, if one choses to act upon pleasure, like John Stuart Mill states, for happiness, one may choose the wrong means of doing so. Happiness is a choice made rationally among many pickings to reach this state of mind. Happiness should not be a way to “win” in the end but a way to develop a well-behaved, principled reputation.
The case of moral luck was introduced by Williams Bernard and developed by Thomas Nagel in their articles respectively. Both raised the question whether luck can influence the judgment of morality. In this essay, the definition of moral luck and four kinds of moral luck by Williams and Nagel will be discussed through several case examples, and then followed with some arguments from Judith Andre, Donna Dickenson and David Enoch and Andrei Marmor who disagree with the concept of moral luck.
Aristotle. "Nicomachean Ethics." Classics of Moral and Political Theory. 3rd ed. Trans. Terence Irwin. Ed. Michael L. Morgan. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 2001.
Aristotle. "De Anima." Basic Works of Aristotle. Ed. Richard McKeon. New York: Random House, 1941.
Gakuran, Michael. "Aristotle’s Moral Philosophy | Gakuranman • Adventure First." Gakuranman Adventure First RSS. N.p., 21 May 2008. Web.
The. The "Aristotle". Home Page English 112 VCCS Litonline. Web. The Web.
Aristotle’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.
Webster defines fate as a “ a power thought to control all events and impossible to resist” “a persons destiny.” This would imply that fate has an over whelming power over the mind. This thing called fate is able to control a person and that person has no ability to change it.
Bodnar, Istvan, "Aristotle's Natural Philosophy", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring2010 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = .
McManaman, D. (n.d.). Aristotle and the Good Life. lifeissues.net. Retrieved March 15, 2014, from http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/mcm/ph/ph_01philosophyyouth14.html