Essay #2
Several people experience a crisis at some point searching for their purpose in life. As we mature we tend to want to leave behind a legacy that will hopefully be remembered. To leave behind a legacy, one must do something well that will not be forgotten by our peers. Aristotle argues that the greatest human life is a life that involves excellent rational activity and achieving happiness is the end goal of every function. This argument is significant because it helps someone determine whether their fulfilling a good life or living a life of happiness. I will be arguing that Aristotle’s argument is flawed because one of his premises is false. Aristotle claims the way to discover the human good we must identify the function of …show more content…
Rational activity is important because only humans can have a fairly consistent reasoning for acting or feeling in some sort of manner. For example, if someone’s parents became severely ill then that person has a reason to be down. Rational activity is unique because humans can obtain happiness by performing a function well. Doctors perform the function of possibly saving people lives this is because saving lives for people makes them happy. Someone can also have bad rational activity. If someone is having a drinking problem they get paid today but spend all their money on getting drunk is an example of having bad rational activity. A person can have excellent rational activity, and he describes excellent rational activity as virtuous by stating in Chapter 10” For no function of man has so much permanence as virtuous activities”. To practice excellent rational activity one must be in a state of mind that can decide first of all. Aristotle is saying to practice excellent rational activity you must be able to make decisions. Aristotle continues his argument stating there must be a mean; Aristotle is saying that if a person is trying to figure out how courageous are, they should have courage which is the mean. He also goes on to say that one should not fall below or well above the mean. So, if being courageous or brave is the mean then anything below, then that person would be considered a coward and beyond would be someone whom is reckless or careless. To have excellent rational activity one must base their mean from the objective facts of their situation, for each person’s situation can affect their mean. For example, if someone loses a relative due to an untimely death, then that gives them a logical reason to be upset, but if that person did not lose a loved one then they should not be sad at all because they do not have reasoning behind being upset. Aristotle later says “the
Several people experience a crisis at some point searching for their purpose in life. As we mature we tend to want to leave behind a legacy that will hopefully be remembered. To leave behind a legacy, one must do something well that will not be forgotten by our peers. Aristotle argues that the greatest human life is a life that involves excellent rational activity and achieving happiness is the end goal of every function. This argument is significant because it helps someone determine whether their fulfilling a good life or living a life of happiness. I will be arguing that Aristotle’s argument is flawed because one of his premises is false. Aristotle claims the way to discover the human good we must identify the function of …show more content…
Rational activity is important because only humans can have a fairly consistent reasoning for acting or feeling in some sort of manner. For example, if someone’s parents became severely ill then that person has a reason to be down. Rational activity is unique because humans can obtain happiness by performing a function well. Doctors perform the function of possibly saving people lives this is because saving lives for people makes them happy. Someone can also have bad rational activity. If someone is having a drinking problem they get paid today but spend all their money on getting drunk is an example of having bad rational activity. A person can have excellent rational activity, and he describes excellent rational activity as virtuous by stating in Chapter 10” For no function of man has so much permanence as virtuous activities”. To practice excellent rational activity one must be in a state of mind that can decide first of all. Aristotle is saying to practice excellent rational activity you must be able to make decisions. Aristotle continues his argument stating there must be a mean; Aristotle is saying that if a person is trying to figure out how courageous are, they should have courage which is the mean. He also goes on to say that one should not fall below or well above the mean. So, if being courageous or brave is the mean then anything below, then that person would be considered a coward and beyond would be someone whom is reckless or careless. To have excellent rational activity one must base their mean from the objective facts of their situation, for each person’s situation can affect their mean. For example, if someone loses a relative due to an untimely death, then that gives them a logical reason to be upset, but if that person did not lose a loved one then they should not be sad at all because they do not have reasoning behind being upset. Aristotle later says “the