Argumentative essay:
In order to understand Aristotle thoughts on live a happy life it is important to examine Nicomachean Ethics as it contains his definition of happiness as well as the requirements one needs in order to be happy. Aristotle’s definition of happiness as quoted in Nicomachean Ethics as stating that a man can only be able to achieve happiness if he performs all the tasks that he is supposed to in a positive manner (Winter, 32). According to Aristotle’s argument, happiness is the main purpose of human life; therefore, he suggests human should strive to achieve happiness in their lives. Hence, the main goal in life is to achieve happiness. Happiness to him means to achieve all the goods in the course of one’s lifetime wealth, health, knowledge, friends among others. According to Aristotle, happiness in life is only achieved once one has lived his entire life with purpose. In addition, he suggests that this will lead to one being having vast amounts of wealth (external goods). This implies that one has to live a complete life in order to be happy (Aristotle, 25).
Happiness depends on individual virtues. A human will, therefore, be considered happy if he possesses not one but all the virtues. A happy life required the fulfilment of both physical and mental well- being meaning that whatever activity a man undertook that was considered ethical or virtuous then he led a happy life. Individuals should then not study to know what virtues are but rather know virtues in order to become good and act in a good manner which translates into a happy life.
How does virtue relate to happiness?
According to him in order to achieve happiness, an individual should have complete virtue that means to have a good moral character. This means making the right choices with the result in mind. Virtue according to him is maintained by achieving the mean that is the balance of the two excesses. This is in relation to the choices we make whereby the lesser good choice has immediate pleasure attached to it, while, the greater good is painful and requires sacrifice.
For example, many people will take the easy way out of the situation even if it is not the recommended way. Taking shortcuts may get the work done faster but not in the best way. For some people, getting the work done despite the means is what makes them happy, while Aristotle suggests getting work done the right way is what should make the person happy. In order for a person to do the right thing even when there is another easier way that is not recommended and requires discipline. Many people of good character are observed to lead happier lives than less disciplined individuals. Developing a good character, therefore, requires a strong effort and will even in the most tempting situations (Hamburger, 45).
Do you think Aristotle is right to suggest that human beings can have false models of happiness and thus be wrong about what is a happy life?
Aristotle is wrong to suggest that human beings can have false models of happiness. I think that humans can choose to be happy in any way they want to be, and thus Aristotle cannot say that just because they are not born with the set standards he sets, they cannot be happy. Aristotle points out that a happy man is one who is sufficiently equipped with external goods, not for some chance period, but throughout a complete life. Meaning that throughout one’s life a man should not lack anything and if he does then he is living in a false model of happiness. I tend to disagree strongly with this opinion of human beings having false models of happiness. For example in this current age people would claim to be happy on the occurrence of a good event in their life such as passing an exam, getting their pay cheques or getting a promotion that they have been yearning.
A man has the right to be happy if he has achieved what would be considered as a milestone in his life. The concept of happiness, therefore, should refer to what gives a man satisfaction and gives him the feeling that he is whole not based on whether throughout his life he was sufficiently equipped. If the period of a person’s whole life was to be considered, then it would be better to say that a happy person is one who has had more happy times than sad. This is because it is not possible for a person to go through their entire lifetime without many periods of unhappiness. Just because a person is unhappy at one moment in life does not mean their entire life will be unhappy. Judgement on happiness should be the prerogative of the individual. The opinion that a happy man is one who is sufficiently equipped with external goods is also not true. This is to mean that human beings should rely on various material items to bring them happiness. I am of the opinion that human beings should strive to create their own happiness and at the same time try to be virtuous as much as possible.
Aristotle says that a man should be considered to live a happy life if he is of good moral character. His activities should therefore be of moral standards. People who use drugs would consider themselves happy when they are high, but that is not the essence of true happiness. Happiness should be achieved by doing what is morally right and this where Aristotle refers to happiness relating to virtues. Let us take an example of a man who comes across another man being robbed. Most people would put their personal safety first and probably flee the scene. A person who does the moral thing would try to help and put themselves in danger.
According to Aristotle, the man who would have fled the scene and thus guarantee his personal safety and ultimately ensuring that he is sufficiently equipped throughout his life at the expense of the victim has achieved a happy life. My view is that the man who stops to help the victim and therefore, risking their own safety is the man on his way to achieving happiness in his life. This can be attributed to the fact that he is empathetic and has done well. This will satisfy his conscience as having saved a person and given another person a chance at happiness.
Work Cited:
Aristotle (2007). The Nicomachean ethics. United States: Filiquarian Pub.
Hamburger, Max. Morals and Law: The Growth of Aristotle's Legal Theory. New York: Biblo and Tannen, 1965. Print.
Winter, Michael. Rethinking Virtue Ethics. Dordrecht: Springer, 2012. Internet resource
