In Nichomachean Ethics Aristotle seeks to answer what the purpose of human existence is. To do this he looks to find an end point to the things we do, something that is sought after only for itself, not for what it gets us. Through this definition he asserts that happiness is the final good of human life; “Verbally there is very general agreement; for both the general run of men and people of superior refinement say that it is happiness.”(Aristotle 1730) Aristotle claims that all men agree happiness is the end goal, however, they differ on its definition. There are many different means by which the basic definition of happiness can be attained. The life of pleasure, money making, and gratification all fit happiness’s material definition.
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Happiness is not an individual goal, rather it is something that should be accomplished together. This is why he claims that superficial things such as glory, honor, and wealth are not a part of happiness. For moral excellence it is essential to find balance between pleasure and pain according to Aristotle; “so as both to delight in and to be pained by the things that we ought; for this is the right education.” (Aristotle 1744) Pain is what causes people to avoid noble actions whereas pleasure is the temptation that results in evil acts. Aristotle admits it is nearly impossible to achieve the exact mean between pain and pleasure in extreme situations so it is best to strive for a second best and choose the least evil one (Aristotle 1751). Finally, in Book I Aristotle claims that happiness is constantly in flux. Consequently it cannot be determined whether or not a person is happy until they are dead (Aristotle …show more content…
However, I disagree with his claim that a person’s life cannot be deemed happy or unhappy until after death. While I have been at Villanova, there have been times when I have been the epitome of joy and there have been times when I have been profoundly unhappy. In both these instances if someone were to deem whether or not I lived a happy life they would be acutely inaccurate. As cliché as this is, life is a roller coaster, there are many highs and many lows, it is the amalgamation of these peaks and valleys that determine whether we have lived a happy life. Consequently, happiness is a long-term project that we all strive to achieve. To accomplish this goal, I have found it key to live a balanced life. Aristotle is correct in stating that living to either extreme does not lead to happiness. There have been times that I have been too generous, one time I ran down a panhandler to give them $30, but there have also been times when I have been selfish. In both these instances I have not found myself happy, despite acting in both the interests of others and in my own interests. Rather, the times when I am happiest are when I find the right accord between the two. For example, I recently started to buy gift cards for food that I bring out with me when I go places. If someone is asking for money, instead of blindly throwing money at them, I offer
Happiness is not an individual goal, rather it is something that should be accomplished together. This is why he claims that superficial things such as glory, honor, and wealth are not a part of happiness. For moral excellence it is essential to find balance between pleasure and pain according to Aristotle; “so as both to delight in and to be pained by the things that we ought; for this is the right education.” (Aristotle 1744) Pain is what causes people to avoid noble actions whereas pleasure is the temptation that results in evil acts. Aristotle admits it is nearly impossible to achieve the exact mean between pain and pleasure in extreme situations so it is best to strive for a second best and choose the least evil one (Aristotle 1751). Finally, in Book I Aristotle claims that happiness is constantly in flux. Consequently it cannot be determined whether or not a person is happy until they are dead (Aristotle …show more content…
However, I disagree with his claim that a person’s life cannot be deemed happy or unhappy until after death. While I have been at Villanova, there have been times when I have been the epitome of joy and there have been times when I have been profoundly unhappy. In both these instances if someone were to deem whether or not I lived a happy life they would be acutely inaccurate. As cliché as this is, life is a roller coaster, there are many highs and many lows, it is the amalgamation of these peaks and valleys that determine whether we have lived a happy life. Consequently, happiness is a long-term project that we all strive to achieve. To accomplish this goal, I have found it key to live a balanced life. Aristotle is correct in stating that living to either extreme does not lead to happiness. There have been times that I have been too generous, one time I ran down a panhandler to give them $30, but there have also been times when I have been selfish. In both these instances I have not found myself happy, despite acting in both the interests of others and in my own interests. Rather, the times when I am happiest are when I find the right accord between the two. For example, I recently started to buy gift cards for food that I bring out with me when I go places. If someone is asking for money, instead of blindly throwing money at them, I offer