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Topic

By [Name of Student]

Course

Professor

[Name of Institution]

November 5th, 2019

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Introduction

In this essay, Aristotle’s theory of happiness shall be discussed in detail and all its different

contexts. We will look upon Aristotle’s view that why virtue alone isn’t enough to guarantee

happiness in life and what else is needed along with virtue. Nonetheless the importance of virtue

will also be discussed and how according to Aristotle we acquire virtue. Happiness is a word which

we use all the time in different contexts. It is a word which we are throwing here and there all the

time without knowing much about it, what it is and what it means. Sure everyone wants to be

happy and live a good happy life but what a happy life means is the question. Many philosophers

have been always trying to find the deeper and actual meaning of happiness since ancient times.

Aristotle was one of the first philosophers to come up with an actual theory of happiness (Irwin,

1999). When asked what it was is the purpose of life, he replied with happiness and thus built up

a whole theory on it. Aristotle thought that happiness is the single most important purpose of life

and that is why he devoted most of his work to the theory of happiness more than any other ancient

scholar of his times. It was Aristotle who introduced the science of happiness in which he explained

that to achieve a genuinely happy life a broad array of conditions and requirements needed to be

fulfilled (Irwin, 1999).

Body

Aristotle’s most important work where he presented the theory of happiness is Nicomachean

Ethics, in which he studies ends to human life and personal morality. In the process of developing

and making his theory of happiness, he sought help from his knowledge of nature. He presented

the facts that man and animal are separated or distinguished by the rational capacity (Irwin, Virtue

of Character, 1999). Presenting this same statement he also nullified the argument that pleasure
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results in happiness alone as he states that animals are driven by the pursuit of pleasure only but

man has far greater capabilities than that of an animal (Irwin, Nicomachean Ethics, 1999).

According to Aristotle happiness is that goal which is the end and totality of one's life. Contrary

to common perception, he states that happiness is not something that one can just attain or lose in

a few hours. This perception fits into pleasure more. Happiness is measuring up to the moment

one has lived to see if one has lived a happy life achieving all its capabilities (Irwin, Nicomachean

Ethics, 1999).

The most important feature and key component of Aristotle's theory of happiness is a virtue. Here

Aristotle links the concepts of happiness and virtue together and states that the most important

factor in achieving happiness is a virtue (KOZEY). By virtue, he means complete virtue

emphasizes complete virtue which also means good moral character and not just virtue. But along

with that, he states that having virtue is not a stagnant state and it is important for one to act

according to nature and circumstances. Proper appreciation is needed to live a good life and that

happens through good habits and a good and proper upbringing which would give us the ability

and virtue to asses' situations and know how to react in a proper way which would be for the greater

good and is supported by practical reasons (KOZEY).

Aristotle's view of virtue is best termed as excellence in all kinds in contrast to the moral or

religious sense the term virtue seems to give a perception of. Thus Aristotle does not stick to one

single virtue instead he says that there are different numbers of virtues. Two main categories of

virtue to him are one the virtue in an excellent performance in whatever functions is designated to

the person and the second category is moral virtue which is formed as the result of habit (Irwin,

Virtue of Character, 1999).

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Aristotle recognizes that virtue is not naturally in a person or implanted in a person automatically

by birth. Virtue is developed by habit and it can be changed over time by habit as well. Aristotle

clearly states that no one is born immoral or moral rather they can become moral and develop

moral virtue in them in life and that happens through habituations in life (KOZEY). Man is not

vicious or virtuous naturally, the moral virtue Aristotle is talking about is acquired through habit

and practice only and that is the reason why Aristotle time and again stresses on the importance of

practice and habituation because lacking the proper upbringing and habits would cause problems

in reaching our full capabilities and actual true functions of being a human being. Virtue is acquired

exactly how one acquires different crafts in life, to do virtuous stuff and making it a habit, repeating

it, practicing it to become acquire virtue eventually (Irwin, Virtue of Character, 1999).

Happiness for Aristotle is all about going for the greater good and not short term happiness or

pleasures to be precise. While stressing on virtue as the main factor of attaining happiness, he also

stressed the fact that happiness cannot be achieved only by acquiring virtue instead it needs to be

a package of acquiring virtue along with other external and material goods as well (KOZEY). In

his work Nicomachean Ethics, he stated: "He is happy who lives in accordance with complete

virtue and is sufficiently equipped with external goods, not for some chance period but throughout

a complete life.” Thus he states that achieving happiness means acquiring all the goods in life

including virtue, knowledge, friends, health, wealth, etc. Aristotle sees friendship as one of the

most important virtue in eventually acquiring happiness. He valued friendship and stated that

virtuous friendship is both the perfect combination of virtue and pleasure (Irwin, Virtue of

Character, 1999).

Conclusion
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In conclusion, it is clear from Aristotle's theory that virtue is the most important factor in acquiring

actual happiness in life but having said that, it alone isn't enough to guarantee happiness and other

goods need to be acquired along with it to achieve ultimate happiness which is the purpose of life.

Also, virtue like other external and material goods is not something that is installed in a human

being naturally, it is attained only by habit and practice just like how all the other material and

external goods in life are attained through hard work and effort.

References

Irwin, T. (1999). Nicomachean Ethics. Indiana: Hackett Publishing.

Irwin, T. (1999). Virtue of Character. In Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (pp. 2-3). Indiana: Hackett
publishing Company.

KOZEY, D. E. (n.d.). GREAT THINKERS ARISTOTLE & THE STOICS.