Aristotle And Pieper
The virtuous life is the best life.
Humans continuously work to achieve happiness because it is the highest end and the chief good that is desired by all. Both Aristotle and Pieper agree with the notion that happiness is the final goal in life. Aristotle believes that in order to obtain happiness one must habituate virtuous actions all throughout his/her life. On the other hand, many people believe that a life in which happiness is generated by pleasures that provide temporary joy or relief from any pain is the best life. Many people mistake happiness for a subjunctive state of mind that can be achieved by pleasure, wealth or honor because these provide immediate short-lasting happiness; the virtuous person does not make this mistake. To understand …show more content…
Being virtuous takes time and does not give immediate results, but it is worth the journey. Aristotle says, “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.” 1101a10) . It takes great virtue to live a happy life. Now Living a virtuous life is said to be the way to the best way of life, so why do many many unvirtuous people say that they are living the best and happiest life? They believe that happiness is a subjective state of mind rather than a final goal that encircles the completeness of one’s life, For those individuals the best life would be one with pleasurable sensations and immediate results of happiness. That life would be heavily filled with short-term superficial happiness. The virtuous person knows the difference between true value and mere …show more content…
Virtues can be classified to different parts of the soul. The nature of happiness is very abstract, defining the soul in different virtues helps us specify what happiness is. According to Aristotle the soul has a vegetative component, an appetite component and a calculative component. Altogether the soul is like a map of human capacities and one must know how to navigate through it. Although virtues are not easy to embody, one should still try. Aristotle believes that, “virtues we get first exercising them” . Not all virtues can be perfectly mastered without practice. Virtues can be very difficult to live out but are very rewarding. Aristotle believes in creating habits, he says “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them”. By creating these habits, the one will live out a virtuous life, thus living out the best
Humans continuously work to achieve happiness because it is the highest end and the chief good that is desired by all. Both Aristotle and Pieper agree with the notion that happiness is the final goal in life. Aristotle believes that in order to obtain happiness one must habituate virtuous actions all throughout his/her life. On the other hand, many people believe that a life in which happiness is generated by pleasures that provide temporary joy or relief from any pain is the best life. Many people mistake happiness for a subjunctive state of mind that can be achieved by pleasure, wealth or honor because these provide immediate short-lasting happiness; the virtuous person does not make this mistake. To understand …show more content…
Being virtuous takes time and does not give immediate results, but it is worth the journey. Aristotle says, “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.” 1101a10) . It takes great virtue to live a happy life. Now Living a virtuous life is said to be the way to the best way of life, so why do many many unvirtuous people say that they are living the best and happiest life? They believe that happiness is a subjective state of mind rather than a final goal that encircles the completeness of one’s life, For those individuals the best life would be one with pleasurable sensations and immediate results of happiness. That life would be heavily filled with short-term superficial happiness. The virtuous person knows the difference between true value and mere …show more content…
Virtues can be classified to different parts of the soul. The nature of happiness is very abstract, defining the soul in different virtues helps us specify what happiness is. According to Aristotle the soul has a vegetative component, an appetite component and a calculative component. Altogether the soul is like a map of human capacities and one must know how to navigate through it. Although virtues are not easy to embody, one should still try. Aristotle believes that, “virtues we get first exercising them” . Not all virtues can be perfectly mastered without practice. Virtues can be very difficult to live out but are very rewarding. Aristotle believes in creating habits, he says “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them”. By creating these habits, the one will live out a virtuous life, thus living out the best