The Ethics Of A Happy Life - 1585 Words

We make hundreds of moral decisions a day that define us as people and reflect our personality traits. Our society make conscious decisions that will better our everyday lives and achieve what Aristotle calls â€Å"ultimate happiness†. We make choices on issues like: the rights of the homeless, medical technology that could prolong human life and even abortion. Our reactions to issues like these reflect whether or not we have good moral values, or virtues, which lead to a bigger question: does the development of virtue lead to moral truth of a happy life? Although Aristotle does not believe you can be born with virtues, I believe that we, as humans, already have virtuous instincts from birth to know how to act morally and fulfill ultimate happiness. In Aristotle’s best known ethical work, The Nicomachean Ethics, he begins with a discussion of happiness and what the true definition of â€Å"good† really is. According to him, all actions are completed for some end , or good, and many are completed for the sake of other ends. â€Å"Happiness is the right starting point for an ethical theory because, in Aristotle’s view, rational agents necessarily choose and deliberate with a view to their ultimate good, which is happiness; it is the ultimate end, since we want it for its own sake, and we want other things for its sake. If it is to be the ultimate end, happiness must be complete.† Aristotle argued that the function of a human being is a life guided by practical reason (Aristotle, xvi).Show MoreRelatedThe Role Of Happiness . â€Å"Happiness Is The Meaning And The1326 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence† (Aristotle). In ethics, we study the place of morality in a social construct, where happiness is the core of ethical concern. Happiness for the individual, happiness for the majority, happiness for nature. What is the key to a happy life? Ari stotle believes the key is eudaimonia, or a state of having a good soul or being in a contented state of being healthy, happy, and prosperous. Eudaimonia is often used toRead MoreAristole962 Words   |  4 PagesEthics in Aristotle’s Philosophy Ruth Geter AC 504 Ethical Issues in Business and Accounting Unit 2 Assignment July 19, 2016 Aristotle Philosophy Introduction I have chosen Aristotle as my philosopher. â€Å"He was the first to argue that equals should be treated equally, and unequal’s should be treated unequally in proportion to their relevant differences† (Brooks and Dunn, 2014). In today’s society people sometimes lose sight of being ethical and often know what is right but chooses to notRead MoreAristotle’s Theory of Virtue and Happiness1621 Words   |  7 Pagesmetaphysics, logic and ethics. In the article â€Å"Nature of Virtue† written by Aristotle, his theory of a persons happiness and good morals is explained. 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Further, heRead MoreEthics : Value Theory, Normative Ethics, And Meta Ethics1501 Words   |  7 PagesThe topic of ethics has always been up for debate. Ethics as defined by Landau is, â€Å"moral philosophy that focuses on the branch of knowledge of answering question on how we ought to live. (Landau)† In order to grasp a deeper meaning of ethics Landau focuses , â€Å"questions about what our guiding ideals should be, in what sort of life is worth living, and how we should treat one another† (Landau). The purpose of these questions allows society to focus the key points of ethics, hedonism, physiologicalRead MoreEthics : How Other People Think, Make Decisions And View Moral Standards99 4 Words   |  4 PagesThe study of ethics is learning how other people think, make decisions and view moral standards. Ethics also show the relationship between the past and the present and from one culture to another. The study observes if people follow the ethical standards that they say they do. Ethics are in everyday life; we make decisions based on what we believe to be right. We ask ourselves if a decision is right or wrong or does it just benefit us. We make choices at school, such as deciding if cheatingRead MoreAristotle s Idea Of The Highest Good1309 Words   |  6 Pages In his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle states his idea of the highest good. In his mind, the highest good is happiness, and to achieve it we must be entirely virtuous. There are many different existing views of what happiness consists of, but Aristotle believes that humans are entirely happy when acting in accordance with reason, as well as acting morally and intellectually virtuous. This means that in order to be entirely happy in life, we must understand, obey, and follow what we define as goodRead MoreHappiness Is an Activity Essay1287 Words   |  6 Pagesnot a momentary pleasure. Some people might worry that Aristotle is wrong in making this claim by presuming that happiness is a state of mind rather than a constant pursuit in which a person must actively strive for throughout the entirety of ones life. I will argue that Aristotle is correct when he declares that happiness is a kind of activity that we strive for and ultimately attain throughout the entirety of our lives rather than just a feeling or state that we happen to have at any given momentRead MoreVirtue Vs. Moral Virtue938 Words   |  4 Pagestrait. One of the main philosophers of Virtue Ethics is an ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, where he portraits his point of view on virtue. After observing the human life, Aristotle has come to notice that people do things differently in order to make themselves happy. He also comes to realize that while some have a good life, others have a bad life. In conclusion, everyone had the same goal: happiness. Aristotle begins Book I of Nicomachean Ethics, by defining the word happiness. He claims thatRead MoreThe Ethics Of The Nicomachean Ethics1140 Words   |  5 PagesAristotle begins Nicomachean Ethics is with the statement â€Å"Every craft and every line of inquiry, and likewise every action and decision seems to seek some good.† (Aristotle Bk.1, Ch.1). This is a fitting way to begin, as it addresses exactly what the entire book hopes to convey. While at this point in the novel, readers remain unaware what the good that he is referring to means, it becomes clearer and clearer as it progresses why this is such an apt beginning. The Nicomachean Ethics is devoted to the notion