The Pursuit Of Happiness In Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics

Aristotle’s “Nicomachean Ethics” considers the best way to achieve happiness. In every human action, the individual intends for it to end in some type of good, with most of these activities being means to a higher end. Aristotle addresses two types of goods, those of which are subordinate and those of which result in higher ends. Subordinate ends may only be means to higher ends, such as human activity which brings about pleasures, whereas, higher goods are goods that are ends in themselves. The highest ends, therefore, is the supreme good and is the “only final end …the object of which we are in search” (Aristotle 52). There are many disagreements among individuals of what is happiness. For there are three main types of happiness that are disputed, the sensual, the political, and the life of though. Happiness cannot be based on sensualities as animals share this quality with humans and animals are not able to experience happiness. Additionally, it cannot be political because “a man may possess virtue and yet be asleep or inactive throughout life, and not only so, but he may experience the greatest
Growing up my parents stressed the importance of telling the truth, even if the consequences are detrimental. This falls under the principle of deontology as lying and cheating is always wrong. There are no exceptions to lying and cheating, even if the outcome of the lie would be desirable. Lying and cheating has a worse consequence than telling the truth. It causes stress as one is constantly worrying whether they will get caught or not, it is disrespectful to the professors as they lose respect for the student, and lying and cheating is embarrassing because no one will be able to trust you while you are also seen as lazy, selfish, and unintelligent. No matter the situation, lying and cheating is wrong because, in the end, it only hinders the individual committing the