Happiness is a feeling or experience that most if not all of us desire. The definition of happiness can vary from a person to another. Many think that happiness lays with riches, others, believe that it is found with moral virtues, friends, and family, or a combination of all. For this case of study, we will evaluate Fredrick’s case through the philosophical lenses of Aristotle and Stoic. In detail, this essay will explain both theories and will cover what would they have to say about this case and why. Moreover, there will be an analysis of the relative strength and relative weakness for both accounts. Then, will close with a thorough examination of which of these two accounts offer the better account of happiness. To be happy is to have a
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To Aristotle, wealth is a key element for his happiness formula “significant wealth allows for the purchase of things that are more pleasant,” with wealth a person can direct his or her attention to what matter most. However, Aristotle made it clear that wealth cannot be the chief good. A person should not devote his or her life to acquire wealth. After all, it is instrumentally valuable, we use it to get other goods “The life of making money is a life people are, as it were, forced into, and wealth is clearly not the good we are seeking, since it is merely useful, forgetting something else” (Aristotle Ethics I, Chapter 5, page 7). As a life lesson, wealth is not the only source of happiness because of the existence of many unhappy rich people “Good vary in this way as well, since it happens that, for many, good things have a harmful consequences: some people have been ruined by wealth, and others by courage” (Aristotle Ethics I, Chapter 3, page 4). For this case, Frederick and his wife agreed that it is important to live comfortably. Another element to Aristotle’s formula is that a person should live actively virtuous, engaging in social activities and building his or her life around friends and family. Aristotle emphasizes that without friends, there would not be an opportunity to engage in a political or intellectual discussion, which is an important element to the individual’s
To Aristotle, wealth is a key element for his happiness formula “significant wealth allows for the purchase of things that are more pleasant,” with wealth a person can direct his or her attention to what matter most. However, Aristotle made it clear that wealth cannot be the chief good. A person should not devote his or her life to acquire wealth. After all, it is instrumentally valuable, we use it to get other goods “The life of making money is a life people are, as it were, forced into, and wealth is clearly not the good we are seeking, since it is merely useful, forgetting something else” (Aristotle Ethics I, Chapter 5, page 7). As a life lesson, wealth is not the only source of happiness because of the existence of many unhappy rich people “Good vary in this way as well, since it happens that, for many, good things have a harmful consequences: some people have been ruined by wealth, and others by courage” (Aristotle Ethics I, Chapter 3, page 4). For this case, Frederick and his wife agreed that it is important to live comfortably. Another element to Aristotle’s formula is that a person should live actively virtuous, engaging in social activities and building his or her life around friends and family. Aristotle emphasizes that without friends, there would not be an opportunity to engage in a political or intellectual discussion, which is an important element to the individual’s