Self-Sufficient Happiness or Happiness Dependent on Other Influences

648 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Aristotle on the nature of happiness

Aristotle’s theory and self-sufficiency
Aristotle’s theories start by expressing happiness as the number one importance in life . The only way to obtain this absolute happiness is to be a good person and commit good actions. In Aristotle’s theory he expresses different avenues to achieve being a good person, some of which will be discussed later on. Along the way, Aristotle states “happiness, then, is something final and self-sufficient, and is the end of action.” This raises the question is happiness in Aristotle’s eyes, something that is obtained self-sufficiently or does happiness also require outside influences? With the prior quote, one would conclude that happiness is in in fact self-sufficient. I would argue that in Aristotle’s theory happiness is not just self-sufficient because of his statements on external goods, others affecting your life, and politics being the best end.
External goods
Two aspects effect happiness in Aristotle’s mind: external goods, and other’s relating to one’s self. External goods entail wealth, family, friends, positive experiences, tragedies in life, and self-appearance. One may ask how these obscure factors effect one’s happiness. A person who has all the money in the world, has the means to do whatever they please to affect the greater good. If they want to donate a million dollars to charity that person can make a huge difference in the world. An ugly person in the eyes of society, may be persecuted daily for his appearance. Experiences and tragedies would ultimately sway your happiness one way or another by effecting the way you perceive your life. Aristotle highlights this by saying “while a single man may suffer many turns of fortune's wheel.” Family and friends with a negative atti...

... middle of paper ...

...ent in personal happiness but, should not be allowed to dictate your end happiness. In my option, a person’s happiness is mostly consistent of perspective and the drive to strive for happiness. I will close with a quote from Lear, “As the happy person navigates life’s ups and downs, he keeps his eye firmly on the target of happiness.”

Works Cited

Biblography

Aristotle. Translated by Ross, W. D. Nicomachean Ethics. 350 B.C.E. (accessed February 13, 2014). http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.html

Richardson Lear, Gabriel. Happy Lives and the Highest Good : An Essay on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University, 2004. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost (accessed February 13, 2014). http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/ehost/detail?sid=281a92c3-bf60-449f-8d0e-f12bc189a97a@sessionmgr110&vid=3#db=nlebk&AN=286654

Show More
Related

  • Book VII of the Nichomachean Ethics by Aristotle

    2981 Words  | 6 Pages

    Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics, Translated by Terence Irwin. Second Edition. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. 1999.

    Read More

  • Virtue and Happiness in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics

    1147 Words  | 3 Pages

    Aristotle believes that happiness rests within an absolutely final and self-sufficient end. The reasoning behind this theory is that every man is striving for some end, and every action he does must be due to this desire to reach this final end. He believes that in order for a man to be happy, he must live an active life of virtue, for this will in turn bring him closer to the final end. Although some may believe that these actions that the man chooses to take is what creates happiness, Aristotle believes that these actions are just a mere part of the striving toward the final end. I believe that Aristotle’s great-souled man is the highest virtue of character; His actions are never too extreme and he is appropriate in all his manners. The magnanimous person is within the intermediate state of character. “The deficient person is pusillanimous, and the person who goes to excess is vain” (§35). The magnanimous person surrounds himself with great things. The great things occurs when “he receives great honors from excellent pe...

    Read More

  • Aristotle Wins Ethically: A comparison between John Stuart Mill and Aristotle on happiness

    1260 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Nicomachean Ethics: Friendship, Virtue and Happiness

    947 Words  | 2 Pages

    Aristotle. The Nicomachean Ethics. David Ross, trans. J. L. Ackrill and J. O. Urmson, revisions. Oxford World’s Classics paperback, 1998.

    Read More

  • The Human Function Argument

    2003 Words  | 5 Pages

    Aristotle. "Nicomachean Ethics." Classics of Moral and Political Theory. 3rd ed. Trans. Terence Irwin. Ed. Michael L. Morgan. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 2001.

    Read More

  • Aristotle: Ethics and the Virtues

    2252 Words  | 5 Pages

    Aristotle, W. D. Ross, and Lesley Brown. The Nicomachean Ethics. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2009. Print.

    Read More

  • Aristotle and the Book of Nicomanchean Ethics

    2039 Words  | 5 Pages

    To achieve this topic, I have sectioned my paper into three main sections, in which I have subsections supporting. In the first section, I will provide much information about Aristotle and his beliefs in virtue and obtaining happiness. Using information from his book of ethics I will provide examples and quote on quote statements to support his views. In the second section, I will provide my agreements as to why I relate and very fond of Aristotle’s book of Nicomachean Ethics. In the third section, I will provide research as to why there are such objections to Aristotle’s book of ethics, and counter act as to why I disagree with them. Lastly I will conclude much of my and as well as Aristotle’s views on ethics and why I so strongly agree with this route of ethics for humans.

    Read More

  • Aristotle and Happiness of the Soul

    716 Words  | 2 Pages

    Further, Aristotle parallels the highest good with happiness: “As far as its name goes, most people virtually agree [about what the good is] … (and) call it happiness”(1.4.1095a17-19). In order for happiness to fit Aristotle’s definition of the good it must be “unconditionally complete” meaning “choiceworthy in itself”(1.7.1097a34) and “self-sufficient” meaning “lacking nothing”(1.7.1097b15). To be the highest good happiness will need to be the “mos...

    Read More

  • Does Aristotle’s Function Argument Offer a Convincing Account of the Human Good?

    1843 Words  | 4 Pages

    Kraut, R., (2014). Aristotle’s Ethics. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2014 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.) Available online at URL .

    Read More

  • Aristotle's Philosophy on Purpose

    893 Words  | 2 Pages

    Roth, John, et al. Ethics: Volume Two. California: Salem Press, Inc., 1994.Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, c. 350 B.C. Book VIII: Translated by W.D. Ross

    Read More

  • Aristotle's Views Of The End Goal Of Happiness

    1231 Words  | 3 Pages

    1.) Aristotle begins by claiming that the highest good is happiness (198, 1095a20). In order to achieve this happiness, one must live by acting well. The highest good also needs to be complete within itself, Aristotle claims that, “happiness more than anything else seems complete without qualification, since we always…choose it because of itself, never because of something else (204, 1097b1). Therefore, Aristotle is claiming that we choose things and other virtues for the end goal of happiness. Aristotle goes on to define happiness as a self-sufficient life that actively tries to pursue reason (205, 1098a5). For a human, happiness is the soul pursuing reason and trying to apply this reason in every single facet of life (206, 1098a10). So, a virtuous life must contain happiness, which Aristotle defines as the soul using reason. Next, Aristotle explains that there are certain types of goods and that “the goods of the soul are said to be goods to the fullest extent…” (207, 1098b15). A person who is truly virtuous will live a life that nourishes their soul. Aristotle is saying “that the happy person lives well and does well…the end

    Read More

  • Aristotle's Theory Of Happiness Essay

    1245 Words  | 3 Pages

    Aristotle feels we have a rational capacity and the exercising of this capacity is the perfecting of our natures as human beings. For this reason, pleasure alone cannot establish human happiness, for pleasure is what animals seek and human beings have higher capacities than animals. The goal is to express our desires in ways that are appropriate to our natures as rational animals. Aristotle states that the most important factor in the effort to achieve happiness is to have a good moral character, what he calls complete virtue. In order to achieve the life of complete virtue, we need to make the right choices, and this involves keeping our eye on the future, on the ultimate result we want for our lives as a whole. We will not achieve happiness simply by enjoying the pleasures of the moment. We must live righteous and include behaviors in our life that help us do what is right and avoid what is wrong. It is not enough to think about doing the right thing, or even intend to do the right thing, we have to actually do it. Happiness can occupy the place of the chief good for which humanity should aim. To be an ultimate end, an act must be independent of any outside help in satisfying one’s needs and final, that which is always desirable in itself and never for the sake of something else and it must be

    Read More

  • An Analysis Of Plato's Theory On Human Nature

    914 Words  | 2 Pages

    His philosophical theory was very simple and he wanted to teach people how to be happy. He stated “In all our activities there is an end, which we seek for its own sake, and everything else is a means to this end…Happiness is this ultimate end. It is the end we seek in all that we do.” What Aristotle means is that everything we do in our daily activities and actions is all leading up to the end result which is happiness. For example, I work and attend school full time and everything that I do is sub goals leading towards being a successful person which causes me to be happy. Aristotle says happiness is also found in our feelings. A personal example is I love my family and it makes me happy having people to care about and to support them. Sub goals on the way, such as making an A in a class or finishing college and getting a degree are self-awarding pleasures that create happiness. Those are a few examples that make me happy and doing well and succeeding is the key to happiness. For happiness to happen in general, people need to have a reason or virtue in our lives. That everyone has their strong suites about themselves and we need to express and share them with others to help others grow as well. What I understand from Aristotle’s theories of happiness is that our feelings and good actions and being able to control them is what makes us

    Read More

  • Aristotle's Theory of the Good Life

    961 Words  | 2 Pages

    Happiness can be viewed as wealth, honour, pleasure, or virtue. Aristotle believes that wealth is not happiness, because wealth is just an economic value, but can be used to gain some happiness; wealth is a means to further ends. The good life, according to Aristotle, is an end in itself. Similar to wealth, honour is not happiness because honour emphases on the individuals who honour in comparison to the honouree. Honour is external, but happiness is not. It has to do with how people perceive one another; the good life is intrinsic to the...

    Read More

  • The Aristotle's Idea of a Good Life

    1047 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

More about Self-Sufficient Happiness or Happiness Dependent on Other Influences

Open Document