Throughout all the times, humanity struggled to fight something real, something which would be the reason of their living. Aristotle was among those who truly answered this question and found for the sake of what people are living their lives. In this paper, I will describe and explain Aristotle’s findings regarding the matter and describe how they pertain to our lives.
As they say, great people always are similar in their greatness. Aristotle's findings regarding the contemplating way of living and the aim of living match those of Buddha. They both have found that happiness is essential to human living and that it is obtained by following the middle way. According to Aristotle, we search for many goods in this life for the sake of something else. For example, money is among such things which are sought for the sake of something else. When someone wants more money, he wants it not for the sake of richness alone, he wants money in order to get something else. This may be power, or for some kind of feeling of comfort, or they may be wanted to earn respect, The essence of it is that they are wanted not for the sake of themselves, but to obtain something else. As Aristotle wisely points out, if we look closely at happiness, we can find that happiness is only ought for the sake of itself as nobody wants happiness for the sake of something else. Having found the supreme good for humanity, Aristotle discusses how can one attain happiness and answers the question of what it really is/ According to his account, "happiness is an activity of soul in accordance with perfect virtue" (Aristotle 18). And by this, he means that happiness can only be the result of our righteous actions. As he puts it, the virtues are found between two vices of deficiency and excess. This approach is pertinent to all good traits that humans have or show in their actions. For example, if one exercises too little, his body will be weak, and he will have bad health. If instead, he trains too much, his body will not be able to recover properly, and this will also result in bad health. Good consequences for health are the result of the right amount of training – not too much and not too little. This approach can also be discussed in the light of our everyday activity friendship. If we examine the ways the individuals interact and their attitudes, three categories can be found – the deficiency, excess, and mean or the right amount. In this case, the vice of deficiency of friendliness can be called distantness. Such person can be described as dedicating too little time and efforts to friendship. As the word goes, such people are distant from other people and not willing to communicate much. Such behavior can be called a vice since it does not support friendship properly and, thus, is harmful to it and does not bring happiness. On the other hand, there are people who want to communicate too much. They always want to do something together and be with someone else. They want it so strong and often that they become annoying. And this is the other side of the spectrum which may be called an excess of friendliness. So, in the case of friendship and friendliness, there are two poles or two extremes which represent the vices – distantness and annoyingness. Between them lies the approximate mean amount of desire to be together and a considerable amount of communication which can be called friendliness. In this respect, friendliness is a virtue, which is when exercised properly, enhances and supports friendship and leads to happiness.
According to Aristotle, all humans in their never ending searches seek for happiness as the ultimate end. Happiness itself is when all the actions are done in accordance with virtue. The virtue itself is the mean between two vices of excess and deficiency. As it has been shown in the example of contributing to friendship and friendliness, such balance between the two extremes can be a practical guide when we decide what will be the right thing to do and how we should behave in different situations to attain happiness.
References
Aristotle, and David Ross. The Nicomachean Ethics. Kitchener: Batoche Books, 1999. Print.
