The ultimate goal in human activity is to achieve, through reason in virtues, happiness, .
a state desirable in itself for no other reason. Happiness is the ultimate goal because it is desirable in itself for no other reason, meaning that there is no reason to achieve happiness other than to be happy. It's complete in itself. Aristotle says "that an end pursued in its own right is more complete than an end pursued because of something else" (Aristotle 7). By this definition happiness is more complete than anything else. Take work as an example, some people don't necessarily like their job, but they continue to work. Why? They gain wealth and by gaining wealth they can buy things. By buying things they think it will make them happy. So through this process working was just an end taken in order to gain wealth and wealth was just an end to gain items, which leads to happiness. But once to the point of happiness there is nothing further. People don't gain happiness to be in love or they don't gain happiness to be free. It's the other way around; we are in love, which in turn brings us happiness. Happiness is the end. People are happy to be happy. But in order to achieve happiness Aristotle says that one must use reason in virtue.
Aristotle concludes that the ability to use reason is a special trait with which humans contain. He comes to this conclusion because living is shared with plants, and nutrition and growth are shared with animals, leaving reason to human beings. It is this ability which humans have that allows happiness to be attained. In his teachings Aristotle says "for anyone who is not deformed [in his capacity] for virtue will be able to achieve happiness through some sort of learning and attention" (Aristotle 12). Aristotle says that humans use reason to find a balance between excesses and deficiencies in life virtues. Since virtues are vices which help man attain happiness and man has to go through a life of thought and reason to reach the median of these virtues, happiness is "an activity of the soul" (Aristotle 12).
Virtue, what is virtue? ... Virtue is what leads our actions to be good. ... Throughout their investigation they challenge many things to see if they are virtue or a part of virtue. ... Virtue is the primary factor in achieving the perfect good. Man's ultimate gold is to live a well balance life, one that he has achieved many virtues, wisdom, justice, health, and happiness to name a few. ...
He describes that intellectual virtue is born from and grown by teaching, whereas moral virtue comes to us a result of habit, that we get the virtues by first exercising them. ... And at the heart of Nicomachean Ethics and virtue ethics is the search for "eudaimonia", which roughly translates to "happiness" or "flourishing". Flourishing may be a better translation of the word eudaimonia because this is the kind of happiness that only comes from a distinct type of character. This is not the same happiness that would come from finding $20 on the ground, from watchi...
Rationality and happiness are activities of the soul, and virtue is the excellence of these activities. ... Emotions are things humans feel, like anguish or happiness, that are followed by pain or pleasure. ... Virtue is not a capacity either, because virtue involves choice, not abilities. ... True virtue entails finding a mean or balance between the intellectual and moral aspects of virtue... It has been noted that, happiness and virtue rest upon each other. ...
Happiness, pleasure, virtue The ancient philosophers had a much different view on what happiness entails than what we do today. Happiness is not merely the ability to have a happy moment or feel good for an instance, it involves the entirety of you life. ... The ancients also believe for a person to have a happy life they must first meet the demands of happiness. ... For this reason, pleasure is often seen as an obstacle to happiness. ... Virtue at its least is the concern of doing things that are morally correct. ...
Happiness What exactly is happiness? ... As far as virtue, it is not happiness because a person may be virtuous and not apply it to their life. Therefore, Aristotle came to the conclusion that happiness is a combination of all four elements (wealth, honor, pleasure, virtue). ... One way it can be achieved is through virtues. ... Intellectual virtues are formed through teaching and instruction; where as moral virtues are created through habit. ...
Upon reading Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, I initially thought that human virtue was to be happy, to achieve happiness. ... On gaining a better understanding to Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics, I've found that in reality, human virtue is so much more than achieving happiness. ... Does human virtue derive from functioning or happiness? ... Skill brings about happiness also. ... In the end, the pianist achieves happiness through his virtue. ...
Aristotle rejects three common conceptions of happiness, pleasure, honor, and wealth. ... But happiness is sought for its own sake. ... This end is called happiness. ... Such a person lacks what Aristotle calls moral virtue. ... Virtues and vices are states of character. ...
Throughout his article "Virtue Ethics", he concentrates upon the concepts of virtue and happiness. "happiness is an activity of soul in accordance with perfect virtue(p. 394)." Both virtue and happiness are related to one another, for happiness is achieved through virtues. ... Virtue and happiness are directly related, for virtues are the way of achieving happiness. ... Aristotle related virtue and happiness in many ways. ...
Can virtues and pleasures change man's definition of Happiness? ... It can be agreed upon that virtues, and pleasures bring happiness because happiness is an end result of these things. But situations can change your definitions of what virtues and pleasures bring you happiness. Thus stating that happiness can not only be attained by having some virtues and pleasures, you must have possessions of all virtues and pleasure to be truly happy and stay that way. ... If a man adheres to virtues ad pleasures there is no reason for him not to attain happiness. ...
