Aristotle’s Ethics Book I obtains copious themes and ideas relevant to classical political theory. One of the most abundant motifs is happiness and how it impacts humans of all stages. As seen in this book, happiness is not always clear cut; therefore, the ability of humans to achieve this marvel of completeness is often disputed. While virtue and honor are acceptable candidates for this vague idea, happiness must be the good. We only strive for these attributes in order to make ourselves happy; thus, happiness is good (Aristotle, 2002, p. 3). Aristotle describes three lives in order to lay out the best pathway to happiness: the life of pleasure, the political life, and the contemplative life. This analysis will focus on the kinds happiness
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He decides to dismiss this idea here, but later on in the Ethics, speaks more of its value. In this chapter, relating the contemplative life to the life of money is the majority of its substance. Aristotle first suggests that the items able to be obtained through wealth are “more properly ends” because they give the individual some type of satisfaction (Aristotle, 2002, p. 5). He then goes back on this statement saying, “though it appears that even they are not what is sought” (Aristotle, 2002, p. 5). Through these statements, he is again trying to convince the reader that things such as money and luxuries, while providing temporary contentment, will not result in complete …show more content…
Contemplation and happiness are two of the most challenging theoretical concepts attempted by humans. They are both incredibly high goals that require a great amount of patience and selflessness. The life of pleasure and the political life do not aid these ethical values and hence, do not provide the means necessary to be a happy person. In these passages, Aristotle has come to the conclusion that the contemplative life and the happiness result in does not appear to be attainable either. This does not mean that as humans, we can never experience joy, but that contentment will always be temporary and will eventually be overtaken by anxiety and
He decides to dismiss this idea here, but later on in the Ethics, speaks more of its value. In this chapter, relating the contemplative life to the life of money is the majority of its substance. Aristotle first suggests that the items able to be obtained through wealth are “more properly ends” because they give the individual some type of satisfaction (Aristotle, 2002, p. 5). He then goes back on this statement saying, “though it appears that even they are not what is sought” (Aristotle, 2002, p. 5). Through these statements, he is again trying to convince the reader that things such as money and luxuries, while providing temporary contentment, will not result in complete …show more content…
Contemplation and happiness are two of the most challenging theoretical concepts attempted by humans. They are both incredibly high goals that require a great amount of patience and selflessness. The life of pleasure and the political life do not aid these ethical values and hence, do not provide the means necessary to be a happy person. In these passages, Aristotle has come to the conclusion that the contemplative life and the happiness result in does not appear to be attainable either. This does not mean that as humans, we can never experience joy, but that contentment will always be temporary and will eventually be overtaken by anxiety and