Jonathan Hicks Contemplation is best experience that a person can enjoy in life.To consider with continued attention is to enjoy happiness to the fullest.It's like becoming focused an lost in the moment of experiencing happiness which allows that individual to extend one's feelings of happiness and make things more pleasurable.This pertains to the happiness thats occurring,or to occur, or has occurred.Contemplation is the act of concentrating on something becoming focused That in itself is what ensures the best life that a person can live.Being focused and of a sound mind.As well, as capable to enjoy happiness to the fullest.This is like a precious gift thats priceless when it gets down to instilling your own happiness in life,and simply,being happy.
Contemplation is the best life because it is the highest form of happiness, its like an activity of just pure happiness that we solely just focus on without letting anything get in the way, its also the most continuous and self-sufficient and it aims at nothing outside of itself. We should all try to occupy all our lives with nothing but contemplation, have the deep thought to full fill our inner self, especially as a form of devotion. A happy person will show off a personality balanced between reasoning and needs.
contemplation is the best life because we desire happiness,the struggle,desire and determination it took you to find or get happiness is what matter. persueing to mantain it is pure. The highest form of happiness is contemplation.Only a god could spend an entire lifetime occupied with nothing but contemplation.All the moral virtues deal with the human aspects of life, which are necessary but secondary to the divine activity of contemplation. If learning about happiness were sufficient to leading a good life, discourses in philosophy would be far more valuable than they are. Words alone cant convince people to be good but this requires practice and habituation, and can take seed only in a person of good character.
Contemplation is an inner focus and meditation which leads to self-sufficient good. This in turn leads to happiness. All actions are a result of some form of contemplation. I think that if men carefully consider their actions, they will most certainly make decisions in favor of virtuous acts. Therefore, a man who is active in accordance with virtue will certainly be happy. In relation to book 1, book 10 also continues to examine and determine what good and happiness are.
In Book I Aristotle examines human excellence and what makes humans happy. And how being virtuous works inward with happiness. Without being virtuous you cannot be truly happy. Happiness is not a state of thinking or mined, but rather how we live our lives as humans and how we act. He sees that happiness is achieved if we are virtuous because virtue is natural, mental, and emotional outlook; characteristic attitude that reflects our state of mind regarding our soul. Virtue can be something that is contemplated, although everyone's idea of happiness or what is fulfilling does not suit all, it can be determined that virtue is not an absolute garuntee of bringing a man to happiness.There for we cant live life in contemplation becauase it is not precise.
contemplation is a form of happiness that we as human desire.we want the best things in life that would make us happy that come deep within the soul.i believe contemplation is highest form of happiness.most people look to enjoy life to the fullest and at the time try to find happiness.when people are happy they live a more healthy and realax life. most people lead a good life when they are happy, the have peace of mind and are content with hat little joy they have.
The contemplation is the best in life because it is a sign of good. We contemplate to rationalize the good and bad of what we do. Since we do things for the “supreme good”, then contemplation is what gives us the time and the chance to pick what is the moral or immoral thing to do. Happiness is the key to goodness because when you are happy the all is good. Though pleasure can be considered in the equation of happiness, it is contemplation that helps us choose which pleasure is good and bad. And once again what is the underline pursuit in life, I believe it is the “supreme good”.
When an individual seeks knowledge and learn truth through ones life, contemplating a situation or choice come many thoughts and really focus on the good or bad, eventually leading to more deliberate decisions in ones actions. Making more deliberate and knowledgeable decisions leads to living a virtuous life, because life itself is all about seeking more truth to what one already knows and becoming more self-indulgent in the process, unlike those that just focus on what there personal needs and make decisions based on that, leading to ignorance and wickedness since you don’t really think of good or bad just wanting.
During our review of Republic, we discussed the pyramid of the person. We decided that the mind is at the highest point followed by will and desire. Because the mind is at the top of the pyramid, I would expect that it is the most important part of the functioning person. Therefore, contemplation would be the highest form of the minds activity. Contemplation is also the function that we use the most. In fact, it is the act or state that our mind is in on a constant basis. We contemplate our journey to fulfill our happiness and on every aspect of our lives. Book X argues that contemplation is the highest form of happiness. Seeing as to how we are studying philosophy, which is about the thinking process, I can see why philosophers would find contemplation to be the highest form of happiness.
Book I of the Nicomachean Ethics examines all of what ethics are and what makes a human happy in particular. It suggests that being virtuous means that an individual will be happy -- the happiness that's discussed is yet another example of a definition that has been broadened beyond our modern understanding of the word.
Happiness, as described by Aristotle is found in the way that humans live their lives naturally, from day to day. It's achieved by being virtuous; virtue is something that can be contemplated. Contemplation, however, is not precise or absolute, so it's agreed that it is not suitable for all humans to live in contemplation.
Contemplation is the best life or way to live your life because is equals to happiness. Contemplation is the highest form of happiness and happiness is something that we all look for. After all happiness is our main goal in life. If a person is happy then its worth living for. In book one Aristotle main point is about finding out what are people pursuing in life. Another main point is to find out what makes happiness. This is how both books are related. I feel that nobody will ever have full happiness or experience nothing close to what happiness really is, we will experience something thats a lot like happiness. Only the gods truly know what happiness really is.
contemplation is the best life for humans. Everyone desire happiness and with each happines carrries a struggle along the way. There is a old saying that states Nothing in life come easy, you have to work hard for it and in return there shall be a great reward at the end. That rewards is success you struggles for and i believe that is comtemplation. In addition. i believe that each person have a diffrent level of contemplation, meaning that one indidvual might be more devoted to something more than the other indidvual. They both want the same thing but one will go extra for it. the best kind of happieness is when you deveoted your self to something and you struggled and some point, but you made thru it and in the end you gain extreme happnies
Contemplation is the best in life because it marks the difference between just and unjust. A wise man always contemplates his life decisions to see if they are living just or unjust. A wise man is also a good man because an evil man would be the one to commit actions that are not just without coming to reason within their own thoughts and consequences. Taking the time to actually contemplate your life will lead to happiness because you would know what would make one happy, and the actions that would make one unhappy. If one is in the pursuit of happiness, then they would contemplate every step that they take in life and make sure to learn from their mistakes and problems to lead a more just life. Having the virtues will make a man more just and staying at that intermediate point between a just and unjust life, and even exceeding that intermediate point.
In book X, Aristotle states that contemplation is the highest thing that can be known to man. The act of contemplation of some type of continuous good activity is what Aristotle believes human life can enjoy. He defines that the functions of contemplation make us different and define us from other living creatures. But he continues to explain how not everything live in this mind set of contemplation because there is something called reality and things that the human being needs to be reasonable and practical about. Living a life of contemplation is thinking that everything is good most of the time and sometimes too much good can be bad, living a life of contemplation is living a happy life. Also having things that are pleasurable in life can lead to happiness, but Aristotle says that contemplation is the highest of them all, that it is the highest form of good that a person can achieve.
Contemplation in my opinion is analyzing something thoughtful and steadily. Being able to see and have wisdom can be the best feeling in the world because there is this insatiable desire to just want more knowledge, which brings insight. Most people react on feelings instead of contemplating about what is best. I especially like the comment “For while we may become pleased quickly as we may become angry quickly” this is basically explaining the “Law of Polarity”. So the more passion and desire you feel, you can also feel angry and violent as well. Basically it is about staying balanced and in control of who you are. People exhibit pleasure all the time when ever they react on feelings. People always want to be pleased because they love to feel a certain way. But what people don’t understand is that over indulging in pleasure can be catastrophic for any human being simply because the mind never plays its proper role— in other words humans are indulging in feelings and not engaging the mind. It’s about thinking and staying balanced.
Contemplation is the best life because it is at the point when you are in tuned with your higher self.
Contemplation becomes the highest form of happiness. In the text Aristotle speaks of the Gods if you take away their living, and is left only with production they still contemplate. This is just a shallow reflection because the Greek gods were made in reflection to human nature. Aristotle continues to speak about animals and how they are completely deprived of happiness because they do not possess this contemplative process. Contemplation is the highest form of happiness because that process allows us to enjoy things more fully. We can work hard towards a goal and through hard work and contemplation we'll achieve the goal and become happy. Things like the creative arts I think compliment this idea the best. As a musician and creating music I find that the end result isn't what really satisfies me, but the process that is involved with creating music. The same could probably be said about artists and even poets. -Kaven Kim
I believe contemplation is the truly the highest form of happiness. This controls your destiny, your decision making, and most of all your level of happiness. Contemplation allows one to use critical thinking with all measures of decision to be made in one’s life. Though we can have enjoyment and pleasure these thing can be temporarily; contemplation can be as long as one’s life journey. Without contemplation a person will have less questions to ask, can be one track minded, and at the end of their journey will sadly realize that life wasn’t lived to the fullest of its capabilities. Without this, one’s knowledge would be drastically limited; in a world full of obstacles, which eventually leads to life lessons.
Contemplation is the best life because according to the text it is superior in serious worth and it has the pleasure proper to itself and to the self-sufficiency. Likewise it is the most important element in a person’s life to reach happiness. In book I Aristotle studies human quality and what makes humans happy; therefore, in book X it is believed that contemplation and happiness are related by the fact that one cannot be reached without the other. Additionally, I totally agree that without contemplation a person cannot be happy because when a person has to make a decision about an action, than the person has to contemplate her actions and think about what is best for him/her to reach its goal in this case happiness. In book X the example as what sort of actions must be assign to Gods to make them happy is a question that it is been asked, similarly in real life human beings in real-life ask themselves what kinds of actions they should achieve in order to reach happiness. For example, if a person is offered two gifts one plain and small and the other big a pretty, depending on how well this person contemplates her choice her life will be full of happiness or full of sadness. All in all, happiness cannot be reached without contemplation because if we do not think of our actions before we proceed our life will change whether we make the right or wrong decision.
Contemplation is an important part of our life, plato thought if we comtemplation the soul may ascend knowledge of the from of good. Aristotle conclude that contemplation is the highest human good. we all want happiness in life so to get that happiness we have to strived for it which is the best contemplation,because the rational uses of the intellect are the highest human goal. when we contemplate we bring different aspect of one's life into focus,it is an end in itself. everything exists for a purpose and to be happy is one of the reason. Practical wisdom and the moral virtues are noble and essential to securing the good life, but the good life itself consists foremost of contemplation.
From my understanding contemplation is the maximum they can ever reach in having happiness or happy life, it is as if you were god like or have god like activities that seperate you from just being human and picking up human activities. It can also be the process in which a person tries his best to grasp with theknown fact that not all can achieve happiness but get a little taste of it. This relating back to Book, 1 they both explain that to every person wants to have happiness above all else. They both talk about having knowledge, virtue, and wisdom is very pivotal part for someone to live or ever gain a happy life. This brings me to another point that since a person is always seeking knowledge, to have virtue, and gain wisdom makes a happy life more desirable since you need the two to have a happy life.
Contemplation is the the best life because it is the rational side of a person and is not about seeking pleasure, which has limits. If we contemplate our actions and thoughts, it will help us with making the correct choices in life, and give us the best possible chance of happiness. Contemplative reasoning allows the intellectual side to develop and give balance to the intuitive side. It give us time to think about what is most important in life. It is the best activity we can do, and allows us to strive for the ideal level of happiness. Of course, we can not spend our entire life in contemplation, as we would not have time to pursue activities that give us happiness, or at least have the virtues that give us the best opportunity to strive for the highest level of happiness. Aristotle believes that all living things have a purpose and for humans, our purpose is to have rational thought so that we have choices based on rational thought that give to actions. These actions through contemplation is an opportunity to think about them carefully and with consideration of virtue. As with Book 1, a life of activities that aims for goodness, will be recognized with happiness.
The contemplative life is best life, because it is built on introspective and reasoning. Contemplation values deliberation and despises spontaneous, actions. Socrates develops a moral code by looking at the information life gives him and arrives at logical conclusions; he analyzes every aspect of his own life and aligns it to his moral code. This implication makes him more alive, which leads to happiness. Than someone who acts arbitrarily. When he does act, his actions have intense meaning and great effect. Aristotle, in his Nichomachean Ethics, discusses the goodness of the contemplative life and the result of a life devoted to ideas. He derives some of his philosophy from Plato in The Apology; it discusses the importance of rationality and illustrates the blatant consequences of a culture that does not value contemplation.
Contemplation is the best in life, because contemplation is one of the best experiences that a person enjoys and creates happiness for the person. Contemplation comes from within; from the soul and only the soul knows what we want, and what makes us happy. It also says that happiness is a way of life. In order to live this happy life we can to have virtues, and only then we can be happy. Even though virtue does not always guarantee happiness. There are two virtues: intellectual and moral. we learn intellectual by learning from others, and we learn moral virtues by practicing and having a virtuous way of life.
Contemplation is best in life because one does not get focus on worldly things but rather spiritual things that makes one live a just life. Contemplation leads to real happiness. Happiness is an activity that serves as an end in itself, is our highest goal in life. But we cannot confuse happiness with pleasant amusement.
The highest form of happiness is contemplation. Contemplation is an activity of our highest rational faculties. It is an end in itself unlike many of our practical or worldly activities. Only a god could spend an entire lifetime occupied with nothing but contemplation but we should try to be godlike as much as we can. All the moral virtues deal with the human aspects of life, which are necessary but not as important as the divine activity of contemplation. This is the only way to live a just life.
Jonathan Hicks
ReplyDeleteContemplation is best experience that a person can enjoy in life.To consider with continued attention is to enjoy happiness to the fullest.It's like becoming focused an lost in the moment of experiencing happiness which allows that individual to extend one's feelings of happiness and make things more pleasurable.This pertains to the happiness thats occurring,or to occur, or has occurred.Contemplation is the act of concentrating on something becoming focused That in itself is what ensures the best life that a person can live.Being focused and of a sound mind.As well, as capable to enjoy happiness to the fullest.This is like a precious gift thats priceless when it gets down to instilling your own happiness in life,and simply,being happy.
Contemplation is the best life because it is the highest form of happiness, its like an activity of just pure happiness that we solely just focus on without letting anything get in the way, its also the most continuous and self-sufficient and it aims at nothing outside of itself. We should all try to occupy all our lives with nothing but contemplation, have the deep thought to full fill our inner self, especially as a form of devotion. A happy person will show off a personality balanced between reasoning and needs.
ReplyDeletecontemplation is the best life because we desire happiness,the struggle,desire and determination it took you to find or get happiness is what matter. persueing to mantain it is pure.
ReplyDeleteThe highest form of happiness is contemplation.Only a god could spend an entire lifetime occupied with nothing but contemplation.All the moral virtues deal with the human aspects of life, which are necessary but secondary to the divine activity of contemplation.
If learning about happiness were sufficient to leading a good life, discourses in philosophy would be far more valuable than they are. Words alone cant convince people to be good but this requires practice and habituation, and can take seed only in a person of good character.
Contemplation is an inner focus and meditation which leads to self-sufficient good. This in turn leads to happiness. All actions are a result of some form of contemplation. I think that if men carefully consider their actions, they will most certainly make decisions in favor of virtuous acts. Therefore, a man who is active in accordance with virtue will certainly be happy. In relation to book 1, book 10 also continues to examine and determine what good and happiness are.
ReplyDeleteIn Book I Aristotle examines human excellence and what makes humans happy. And how being virtuous works inward with happiness. Without being virtuous you cannot be truly happy. Happiness is not a state of thinking or mined, but rather how we live our lives as humans and how we act. He sees that happiness is achieved if we are virtuous because virtue is natural, mental, and emotional outlook; characteristic attitude that reflects our state of mind regarding our soul.
ReplyDeleteVirtue can be something that is contemplated, although everyone's idea of happiness or what is fulfilling does not suit all, it can be determined that virtue is not an absolute garuntee of bringing a man to happiness.There for we cant live life in contemplation becauase it is not precise.
contemplation is a form of happiness that we as human desire.we want the best things in life that would make us happy that come deep within the soul.i believe contemplation is highest form of happiness.most people look to enjoy life to the fullest and at the time try to find happiness.when people are happy they live a more healthy and realax life. most people lead a good life when they are happy, the have peace of mind and are content with hat little joy they have.
ReplyDeleteandrew nandalall
The contemplation is the best in life because it is a sign of good. We contemplate to rationalize the good and bad of what we do. Since we do things for the “supreme good”, then contemplation is what gives us the time and the chance to pick what is the moral or immoral thing to do. Happiness is the key to goodness because when you are happy the all is good. Though pleasure can be considered in the equation of happiness, it is contemplation that helps us choose which pleasure is good and bad. And once again what is the underline pursuit in life, I believe it is the “supreme good”.
ReplyDeleteWhen an individual seeks knowledge and learn truth through ones life, contemplating a situation or choice come many thoughts and really focus on the good or bad, eventually leading to more deliberate decisions in ones actions. Making more deliberate and knowledgeable decisions leads to living a virtuous life, because life itself is all about seeking more truth to what one already knows and becoming more self-indulgent in the process, unlike those that just focus on what there personal needs and make decisions based on that, leading to ignorance and wickedness since you don’t really think of good or bad just wanting.
ReplyDeleteDuring our review of Republic, we discussed the pyramid of the person. We decided that the mind is at the highest point followed by will and desire. Because the mind is at the top of the pyramid, I would expect that it is the most important part of the functioning person. Therefore, contemplation would be the highest form of the minds activity. Contemplation is also the function that we use the most. In fact, it is the act or state that our mind is in on a constant basis. We contemplate our journey to fulfill our happiness and on every aspect of our lives. Book X argues that contemplation is the highest form of happiness. Seeing as to how we are studying philosophy, which is about the thinking process, I can see why philosophers would find contemplation to be the highest form of happiness.
ReplyDeleteBook I of the Nicomachean Ethics examines all of what ethics are and what makes a human happy in particular. It suggests that being virtuous means that an individual will be happy -- the happiness that's discussed is yet another example of a definition that has been broadened beyond our modern understanding of the word.
ReplyDeleteHappiness, as described by Aristotle is found in the way that humans live their lives naturally, from day to day. It's achieved by being virtuous; virtue is something that can be contemplated. Contemplation, however, is not precise or absolute, so it's agreed that it is not suitable for all humans to live in contemplation.
Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics II
ReplyDeleteBook X
Why contemplation is the best life?
Contemplation is the best life or way to live your life because is equals to happiness. Contemplation is the highest form of happiness and happiness is something that we all look for. After all happiness is our main goal in life. If a person is happy then its worth living for. In book one Aristotle main point is about finding out what are people pursuing in life. Another main point is to find out what makes happiness. This is how both books are related. I feel that nobody will ever have full happiness or experience nothing close to what happiness really is, we will experience something thats a lot like happiness. Only the gods truly know what happiness really is.
Sheila Lopez
contemplation is the best life for humans. Everyone desire happiness and with each happines carrries a struggle along the way. There is a old saying that states Nothing in life come easy, you have to work hard for it and in return there shall be a great reward at the end. That rewards is success you struggles for and i believe that is comtemplation. In addition. i believe that each person have a diffrent level of contemplation, meaning that one indidvual might be more devoted to something more than the other indidvual. They both want the same thing but one will go extra for it. the best kind of happieness is when you deveoted your self to something and you struggled and some point, but you made thru it and in the end you gain extreme happnies
ReplyDeleteContemplation is the best in life because it marks the difference between just and unjust. A wise man always contemplates his life decisions to see if they are living just or unjust. A wise man is also a good man because an evil man would be the one to commit actions that are not just without coming to reason within their own thoughts and consequences. Taking the time to actually contemplate your life will lead to happiness because you would know what would make one happy, and the actions that would make one unhappy. If one is in the pursuit of happiness, then they would contemplate every step that they take in life and make sure to learn from their mistakes and problems to lead a more just life. Having the virtues will make a man more just and staying at that intermediate point between a just and unjust life, and even exceeding that intermediate point.
ReplyDeleteLuis Mercedes
In book X, Aristotle states that contemplation is the highest thing that can be known to man. The act of contemplation of some type of continuous good activity is what Aristotle believes human life can enjoy. He defines that the functions of contemplation make us different and define us from other living creatures. But he continues to explain how not everything live in this mind set of contemplation because there is something called reality and things that the human being needs to be reasonable and practical about. Living a life of contemplation is thinking that everything is good most of the time and sometimes too much good can be bad, living a life of contemplation is living a happy life. Also having things that are pleasurable in life can lead to happiness, but Aristotle says that contemplation is the highest of them all, that it is the highest form of good that a person can achieve.
ReplyDeleteContemplation in my opinion is analyzing something thoughtful and steadily. Being able to see and have wisdom can be the best feeling in the world because there is this insatiable desire to just want more knowledge, which brings insight. Most people react on feelings instead of contemplating about what is best. I especially like the comment “For while we may become pleased quickly as we may become angry quickly” this is basically explaining the “Law of Polarity”. So the more passion and desire you feel, you can also feel angry and violent as well. Basically it is about staying balanced and in control of who you are. People exhibit pleasure all the time when ever they react on feelings. People always want to be pleased because they love to feel a certain way. But what people don’t understand is that over indulging in pleasure can be catastrophic for any human being simply because the mind never plays its proper role— in other words humans are indulging in feelings and not engaging the mind. It’s about thinking and staying balanced.
ReplyDeleteContemplation is the best life because it is at the point when you are in tuned with your higher self.
Kennee McFadden
Contemplation becomes the highest form of happiness. In the text Aristotle speaks of the Gods if you take away their living, and is left only with production they still contemplate. This is just a shallow reflection because the Greek gods were made in reflection to human nature.
ReplyDeleteAristotle continues to speak about animals and how they are completely deprived of happiness because they do not possess this contemplative process. Contemplation is the highest form of happiness because that process allows us to enjoy things more fully. We can work hard towards a goal and through hard work and contemplation we'll achieve the goal and become happy. Things like the creative arts I think compliment this idea the best. As a musician and creating music I find that the end result isn't what really satisfies me, but the process that is involved with creating music. The same could probably be said about artists and even poets.
-Kaven Kim
I believe contemplation is the truly the highest form of happiness. This controls your destiny, your decision making, and most of all your level of happiness. Contemplation allows one to use critical thinking with all measures of decision to be made in one’s life. Though we can have enjoyment and pleasure these thing can be temporarily; contemplation can be as long as one’s life journey. Without contemplation a person will have less questions to ask, can be one track minded, and at the end of their journey will sadly realize that life wasn’t lived to the fullest of its capabilities. Without this, one’s knowledge would be drastically limited; in a world full of obstacles, which eventually leads to life lessons.
ReplyDeleteContemplation is the best life because according to the text it is superior in serious worth and it has the pleasure proper to itself and to the self-sufficiency. Likewise it is the most important element in a person’s life to reach happiness. In book I Aristotle studies human quality and what makes humans happy; therefore, in book X it is believed that contemplation and happiness are related by the fact that one cannot be reached without the other. Additionally, I totally agree that without contemplation a person cannot be happy because when a person has to make a decision about an action, than the person has to contemplate her actions and think about what is best for him/her to reach its goal in this case happiness. In book X the example as what sort of actions must be assign to Gods to make them happy is a question that it is been asked, similarly in real life human beings in real-life ask themselves what kinds of actions they should achieve in order to reach happiness. For example, if a person is offered two gifts one plain and small and the other big a pretty, depending on how well this person contemplates her choice her life will be full of happiness or full of sadness. All in all, happiness cannot be reached without contemplation because if we do not think of our actions before we proceed our life will change whether we make the right or wrong decision.
ReplyDeleteContemplation is an important part of our life, plato thought if we comtemplation the soul may ascend knowledge of the from of good. Aristotle conclude that contemplation is the highest human good. we all want happiness in life so to get that happiness we have to strived for it which is the best contemplation,because the rational uses of the intellect are the highest human goal. when we contemplate we bring different aspect of one's life into focus,it is an end in itself. everything exists for a purpose and to be happy is one of the reason. Practical wisdom and the moral virtues are noble and essential to securing the good life, but the good life itself consists foremost of contemplation.
ReplyDeleteBook x
ReplyDeleteFrom my understanding contemplation is the maximum they can ever reach in having happiness or happy life, it is as if you were god like or have god like activities that seperate you from just being human and picking up human activities. It can also be the process in which a person tries his best to grasp with theknown fact that not all can achieve happiness but get a little taste of it.
This relating back to Book, 1 they both explain that to every person wants to have happiness above all else. They both talk about having knowledge, virtue, and wisdom is very pivotal part for someone to live or ever gain a happy life. This brings me to another point that since a person is always seeking knowledge, to have virtue, and gain wisdom makes a happy life more desirable since you need the two to have a happy life.
Syron Singh
Contemplation is the the best life because it is the rational side of a person and is not about seeking pleasure, which has limits. If we contemplate our actions and thoughts, it will help us with making the correct choices in life, and give us the best possible chance of happiness. Contemplative reasoning allows the intellectual side to develop and give balance to the intuitive side. It give us time to think about what is most important in life. It is the best activity we can do, and allows us to strive for the ideal level of happiness. Of course, we can not spend our entire life in contemplation, as we would not have time to pursue activities that give us happiness, or at least have the virtues that give us the best opportunity to strive for the highest level of happiness.
ReplyDeleteAristotle believes that all living things have a purpose and for humans, our purpose is to have rational thought so that we have choices based on rational thought that give to actions. These actions through contemplation is an opportunity to think about them carefully and with consideration of virtue. As with Book 1, a life of activities that aims for goodness, will be recognized with happiness.
The contemplative life is best life, because it is built on introspective and reasoning. Contemplation values deliberation and despises spontaneous, actions. Socrates develops a moral code by looking at the information life gives him and arrives at logical conclusions; he analyzes every aspect of his own life and aligns it to his moral code. This implication makes him more alive, which leads to happiness. Than someone who acts arbitrarily. When he does act, his actions have intense meaning and great effect. Aristotle, in his Nichomachean Ethics, discusses the goodness of the contemplative life and the result of a life devoted to ideas. He derives some of his philosophy from Plato in The Apology; it discusses the importance of rationality and illustrates the blatant consequences of a culture that does not value contemplation.
ReplyDeleteDavid Larosiliere
Contemplation is the best in life, because contemplation is one of the best experiences that a person enjoys and creates happiness for the person.
ReplyDeleteContemplation comes from within; from the soul and only the soul knows what we want, and what makes us happy.
It also says that happiness is a way of life. In order to live this happy life we can to have virtues, and only then we can be happy. Even though virtue does not always guarantee happiness.
There are two virtues: intellectual and moral. we learn intellectual by learning from others, and we learn moral virtues by practicing and having a virtuous way of life.
Isabella Soteldo
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteContemplation is best in life because one does not get focus on worldly things but rather spiritual things that makes one live a just life. Contemplation leads to real happiness. Happiness is an activity that serves as an end in itself, is our highest goal in life. But we cannot confuse happiness with pleasant amusement.
ReplyDeleteThe highest form of happiness is contemplation. Contemplation is an activity of our highest rational faculties. It is an end in itself unlike many of our practical or worldly activities. Only a god could spend an entire lifetime occupied with nothing but contemplation but we should try to be godlike as much as we can. All the moral virtues deal with the human aspects of life, which are necessary but not as important as the divine activity of contemplation. This is the only way to live a just life.