Read Book I
text available at: http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.html
journals due on Mar. 2.
Guidance questions:
1. what are people pursuing in the end?
2. what are the criteria of happiness?
3. What is the function of man?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Kunti Hanif
ReplyDeletePeople in general are persuing good in the end. In the Republic Book 2, Plato has enlightened us of the three kinds of good which Socrates and Glaucon had discussed. These are also being discussed here in Nicomachean Ethics 1. Some feel that good is done by simply having harmless pleasures and enjoyments. The other good is desirable for its results; such as knowledge and health, while the third class of good is which men choose not only for their sakes but for the results; such as providing services for money. In further explaining this third class; men would not perform good if he would not benefit from it in some physical, emotional and monetary way. Universal good is virtue which men tries to achieve.
Happiness is associated with living well and doing well which arrives from doing good. Happiness is summarized by Plato as something final and self-sifficient.
In order for men to achieve excellence, he must be happy with what he does. Thus, the function of men is to do that which he does best, as each person is unique and perform activities of his soul in accordance with virtue.
Jonathan Hicks
ReplyDeleteI believe the criteria for happiness to be things that makes me feel good which can be attained by living a virtuous life.As far as,having principles of patience,respect,and loyalty.I believe to live with these virtues leads to happiness.From the three principles that I've named makes me feel happy.It makes me feel happy to use patience and to not rush to do things in life.It gives me a good happy feeling of being in control.As for respect,I feel happy and good when I can be respectful even in situations where I could've been disrespected first.Being respectful makes me happy.Loyalty,brings me happiness by being true to anyone that I come in contact with.Being true and honest makes me very happy.To always be honest builds lines of communications between people that will never break.To me these are a few criterias for being happy.
People are always pursuing happiness in the end. No matter what action or how one behaves, at the end of the day it is to seek happiness. One example would be getting a college degree. If one was to be asked why he is pursuing this degree, he would answer for a good job. Then would be asked why he wants a good job, and then would response good benefits and salary. The asker would then ask, why he wants good benefits and salary, and the person would answers to be comfortable. Finally he would be asked again of why he wants to be comfortable and the final answer would be to just be HAPPY.
ReplyDeleteAristotle: Nicomachean Ethics I
ReplyDeleteBook I
2. What are the criteria of happiness?
I believe that there is no one criteria for happiness, it can not be measured. I strongly believe that happiness comes from everything that you see, do and feel. It is something that affects the internal and external sides of your body. I think that happiness is meant to be something that your never really find, like an ever lasting adventure. Happiness can come from good health, intelligence, friends, family, hobbies, virtue, materialistic things, religion, money and many other things. I feel that it is impossible for us humans to be always satisfy and happy for an eternity with the same things. We will always want more, eventually. It is in our nature. One may find an new hobby such as painting and it will make you very happy. You will learn and advance in that field, but when you feel that you have learned all (or enough) things about that field, you will go on to find a new happiness. Even rich people with all the money in the world are always looking for happiness. They could very well have good health, intelligence, friends, family, hobbies, virtue, materialistic things, religion, money and many other happiness but still find themselves looking for something new and different to be happy with. I like the idea that happiness can not be contained forever and that it cannot be measure (or so i believe) because i feel that this is our way of evolving.
Sheila Lopez
in general at the end its happiness, doesnt matter how hard you do it or where it may take you but doing welland making sure you do good by you health purse happiness. like getting a job you will call any place hows hiring and do what ever it tskes to get the job and when you do you will feel like god has answer your preys and thats happiness.
ReplyDeletethe function of a man is the ROCK he is the supporter and the supplier, he gets the respect and give the respect. the man secure the home and protects whats his, he gets the salary and good benefits he should be comfertable where he is.
Happiness is what a person feels for themselves, it should come from within.That happiness should be closely connected to success,fulfillment, and flourishing. A person happiness is the highest good because we choose our happiness as an end sufficient in itself, so therefore the supreme good is an activity of the rational soul in accordance with virtue. happiness reflect a person position within a city-state, a person who fulfills their duties and expectations of that place is "happy" because happiness is a matter of living and not just feeling. We all wants to be happy but can we be happy with what we have, the love and joy, good health, money, family, knowledge, can we be contented or do we still wonder what if. Aristotle identifies happiness as the highest goal, he claim its the ultimate end of any action, is this true. what is really happiness and how can we be really be happy, we should concern ourselves not with this abstract concept but with the practical ends we can actually pursue in everyday life.
ReplyDeleteGaneshwari Latchman
Criteria of happiness,most people would describe happiness as a wonderful feeling or emotion that allows them to feel good, and there are things that accompany this feeling, such as objects, money, pets, other people's happiness, or sensual pleasures.This contributes to the rationality of man, which seperates man from animal and plants and other objects. Good is happiness, but people disagree over what constitutes happiness. Happiness in equivelence to good can be defined in millions of ways, depending on the individuals outlook and what makes them happy. One may feel good or happy by living simple and another may feel good or happy by living lvishl, there is no right or wrong, or good or bad. Some feel that receiving honors is the greatest good, but honors are recognition of goodness, so there must be a greater good that honors recieve. Knowlege and virtue are not good only in themselves, but good because they make us happy. Can happiness define virtue?
ReplyDeleteIn an overall sense people are pursuing for the product of good. Whether it is by the activity or the product itself, the ends of pursuing something is for the “supreme good”. An example of this would be a young man looking to have. It is considered good to have something of his own, so the young man gets a job, works hard and rises to the top of his company. He's now at the top of his company which is a great accomplishment, but in the end what his goal originally was to have his own place. I believe when Aristotle says the ends of a person's means is good he was implying that good is the foundation for greater things.
ReplyDeleteThe criteria of happiness is something or an idea that will be for your whole life.
Happiness is the function of men. We all want to be happier than we are. Even people with everything are not completely happy. Our prime objective is to attain true happiness.
The criteria of happiness is something that was spoken of in this text. It was said that some people identify happiness with virtue while others identify it with a kind of wisdom, either philosophic or practical. Almost without exception, pleasure is part of what makes up happiness. Another point that was made is that happiness is also based on other things besides the individual. Sometimes it can be based on luck or as it's refereed to in the text "good fortune". Like for instance, if a man is born into a hard life with little good fortune then he will have a difficult time finding happiness. If on the other hand a different man is born into a life where he is rich, well taken care of and given many fine opportunities then that man will have an easier and happier life.
ReplyDeleteAs he proves his point and describe the difference between voluntary and involuntary virtue, he brings up many pointers in life that would make man noble and content; wishing things you can achieve with your own efforts, the only thing a man should over like and want to much of is knowledge and education and that’s to eliminate ignorance causing people to make noble decisions. Besides everyone in society, he wants high rank government people to want more of what was just mentioned, resulting in more deliberate decisions for people that should be punished or rewarded for actions that are taken. From what I understood voluntary virtue is having a passion towards something positive, doing well for another for you without expecting anything in return. He describes how people are more materialistic and self- indulgent, doing noble or brave things out of ignorance or just to prove everyone around but in reality lying to oneself. At the end he’s pursuing the reality of being an honest and content person by feeling passionate to positive actions one takes by really knowing what is done.
ReplyDeleteIn this reading, the definition of happiness is discussed. what is happiness? and what makes a person have happiness?
ReplyDeleteHappiness has a different criteria for everyone. A person achieves happiness when they achieve things that makes that individual happy. In the reading it said that for some people is to do what is morally right, for others is to do things that brings them pleasure and for others is to be more intelligent. It all depends on what the person wants to achieve.
This does not mean that happiness is always brought from doing "good" things. A person can be happy if they have done something 'bad", but they can be happy with what they achieved.
It is said in the reading that we can only look at good in a more general than specific way. So i think that good has many different criteria, but in the end you can not really define good, because what may bring you happiness may satisfy you, but it may not always be good for a person.
Isabella Soteldo
The people in this text just like the people now are always pursuing happiness at the end no matter what actions they have committed people always want to be happy with what they have achieved. According to the text the criteria of happiness is something final and self-sufficient. However, I believe that happiness does not have a final ending nor can always be achieved, because people can be happy for a little while, but after something might happen that could end with that happiness. Therefore, I think that people cannot be happy everyday or every second. For example, if I get promoted at a job I might be happy at that time, but may be later I will think about the more obligations I will have when accepting the promotion, so in this case that happiness that I felt at the beginning could end in worry or sadness. Likewise, when a student is accepted into college, he/she gets happy and believes that it is going to be as easy as when he/she was in kindergarten or middle school; however, when he/she notices that there is a big difference between these two, the student gets sad and hi/her happiness end because he/she realized that more effort has to be put in college in order to earn a degree for the future.
ReplyDeleteBook I
ReplyDeletePeople all around mostly seek happiness in the end no matter the cost. Presumtably, we choose happiness for our selves and for sake of other things as the passage states, "honour, pleasure, reason, and every virtue we choose". But we also seek something within happiness itself that doesn't relate to other things. We seek final good which is the thing among all others and we see that as being self-sufficient which causes isloation making life more desirable. The passage states that any "excess of goods,of goods the greater is always more desirable" with that being said we know that the happiness is that one thing among all goods or greater making it more desirable so making it the one taking we all want to have in the end.
Syron Singh
At the end of the day everyone wants to live well, and be happy; however I feel there is no criterion for happiness. I believe happiness is a matter of one’s perception. What would make one happy may not do the same for the others. For example someone who resides in the USA who lives in the projects may feel that their living conditions are horrible and may want a house or mansion; however someone in Haiti who grew up in a one room shack, would consider what we call project luxurious living. People tend to let society decide what they need in life to be happy. I unlike most people realize that your perception of your world around determines if you’re happy or not. Since the majority of people lack this simple concept, many may feel money is everything, and that money can buy happiness. Though I understand money is needed and can help us to be comfortable, I don’t feel it can truly buy happiness. Happiness is a state of mind.
ReplyDeleteAristotle speaks very different from Socrates even though they are student and teacher. It could be the translation though...
ReplyDeleteAristotle speaks about happiness in book I. It's interesting to see how he speaks of the aim of almost everything is suppose to be good which leads to happiness. Though I think it's true for both selfish and selfless acts, I think it's a bit vague. Aristotle speaks of this as a general idea about all aspects including strategy and war which kind of threw me off. We go to war for good? We go to war for happiness? We practice strategy for these outcomes but is it really true? So far Aristotle seems to be a lot more vague then Socrates is, even though Socrates used such simple methods of explaining his ideas.
-Kaven Kim
I've never really thought about happiness being the ultimate good, but it only makes sense. When asked why you want something, there can be various answers, but the core of any applicable answer is that you want happiness from it, which cannot be further questioned. For example, someone could ask why you want a new vehicle, to which you could answer that it could help the environment, ensure you always get to work or school on time, allow you to take long trips, etc. Then, if you are asked why you want these things, you could say (respectively) peace of mind, good standing with employer/teachers, and a way to have fun and temporarily escape responsibilities. This process of asking why you would want something can go on indefinitely, but eventually the answer will be "because it will make me happy." If asked why you want to be happy, you cannot give further explanation other than you just do.
ReplyDelete-Travis Fought
After reading the Nicomachean Ethics, i beleive that every individual wants to happy later in life. having a goal and a dream create help them to create what type of happieness you desire. how ever being happy also bring you pain and sadness which most of the time shadows people and thats when they start to questuion there happieness. I also believe that each indidvual create there own criteria of happieness by setting goals, dreams,and asperation so they can achieve in life. That Critera you set also comes with struggles, and depending on that individual they will either stick through it or quit. Futher more the criteria is more like a guideline in life, just so you know if your on the right track or not.
ReplyDeleteWhat are people pursuing in the end?
ReplyDeletePeople are pursuing happiness or fulfillment in the end. I use the word fulfillment because when people attain some type of reward or achievement, it tends to spark exhilaration in that person. The fulfillment can be a person’s desires or needs. This brings me to my next question: Can an individual really be happy with money or any materialistic possession?:
Are you really happy just because you fell into great fortunes? I believe an individual can live life happy without being affluent and still be happy. Happiness is a feeling of euphoria. Happiness can be a state of being at peace with yourself. Who says you have to be successful in a corporate sense to be happy as opposed to just living an average life. So in other words is it really about practicing your skill or is it just about the reward that you receive from that skill that makes you happy. People are always trying to pursue happiness, but overall money cannot make an individual happy—only temporarily. I think the person can be happy, but only for a short time. Happiness, in my opinion, is a state in which one feels he has accomplished his wants or needs. I believe happiness is knowing who you are and coming to the realization that you don’t need materialistic things from the outside world. Hence, true happiness lies in ones inner being.
In today society everyone goes through life trying to find happiness.weather happiness comes from achiveing your goals in life.for most of us peace and joy makes us happy.have a good jod and making a good salary brings fulfillment and joy into someone life.people seek happness to fulfill they dreams and to make themselves a better person overall.also many people seek happiness to find love and to find comfort.there are many ways someone can be happy for example getting an education makes a person happy or even getting a new car will bring joy into someone life. i think happness is the virtue of life we need to have happiness in our ilfe to make us feel good about oursleves and feel relaxed at the same time.doing good for yours friends and family will also make you feel good about yourself.
ReplyDeleteandrew nandalall
The criteria of happiness is for man is to have these three qualities - to be virtuous, to be rational and to be active. Aristole said to be virtuous you must be happy and to be happy you must be virtuous. Aristotle said to be rational, you must have a rational soul and to be active, you must do something well in life.
ReplyDeleteIf you live a virtuous life you will be more like to have happiness. Aristotle considers happiness more as an active way of being, than a state of being. A person that is happy is living a life that is an activity of living well. Through thought and reason, humans can achieve happiness and achievement. Happiness is the highest virute because happiness makes us happy and to be happy is a sense of well being. To be a good person gives us the best possibility of having happiness throughout one’s life.
It is important to behave in the right ways and for the right reasons and to feel happiness beause of it. Happiness is an end to itself and also the highest goal to obtain. Throughout life, every activity should have an end goal of happiness.
According to Aristotle, he rounds off his discussion of living ethically with a very detailed description of the achievement of uncovering true happiness. In it he explains that, pleasure is not a good in itself. He begins to argue this, is by in nature it is incomplete. It is the worthwhile activities that are often associated with their own distinctive pleasures. Thereby, we are rightly guided in life by our own natural preferences for engaging in pleasant activities rather than in unpleasant ones.
ReplyDeleteHe theorizes genuine happiness as it lies in action that leads to virtues. This alone is truly valuable and not just for amusement. Aristotle contemplates that the highest form of moral activities are continuous, complete, pleasurable, and self-sufficient. In intellectual activity, human beings approach mental divineness, while recognizing all of the more genuine human virtues as well.
David Larosiliere
What are the criterias of happiness? I personally don't think there are any criteria s for happiness. Happiness can come to us in many different forms. regardless of the level of the stimulant. obviously happiness has its own range of levels. you can be just casual happy like if you passed a test. or you can be ecstatically happy like if you were to have a baby or win the lottery. But then of course happiness doesn't need a reason..you can wake up one day just feeling good and you'd be happy. at the same time you can be UNhappy for no practical reasons at all. But what's happiness? to be content with where you are? How much has to happen before a person actually reaches any level of happiness? that probably has something to do with the person's personality. some people can get extremely happy over little stuff while others may need something really good to happen. why do people want to be happy? i think its because there are only 2 sides, some people might dissagree with this. but in my opinion, if you're not happy...you're unhappy. or some other emotion that relates close enough to being unhappy. and besides, being happy feels good and who doesn't want to feel good? does this make us selfish? i guess that's up for debate. depending on how far you are willing to go and who you're willing to hurt or exploit in order for you to be happy.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI believe that just being human (in our case) is enough to be able to attain happiness, not because of the simple fact that we as humans can feel happy, but because we are beings with an unsatisfiable feeling of wanting more. Getting a promotion at our work site will bring anyone happiness but with it will come the feeling of wanting more, Finding a soul mate would make anyone happy, but just stopping there would never truly be enough.
ReplyDeleteThe literature also points out that people may find happiness to be different based on certain criteria being met. Being hospitalized would change my immediate view on happiness to something like getting out of my sickbed sooner, rather than having a fun time clubbing with a friend.
Carlos Cabral
Happiness is the highest good because we choose happiness as an end sufficient in itself. Even intelligence and virtue are not good only in themselves, but good also because they make us happy. When talking about happiness, we consider a person’s life as a whole, but not just brief moments of it. This raises suggestions that a person can be considered happy only after death, that is, once we can examine the person’s life as a whole. However, a good person will always behave in a virtuous manner. Even when faced with great misfortune, a good person will bear himself well and will not descend into mean-spiritedness. Once a person has died, according to Aristotle, posthumous honors or dishonors and the behavior of his descendants might affect his happiness somewhat, but not at a great extent.
ReplyDelete