The Validity Of Reason In Aristotle's Philosophy

Aristotle states that “the function of man is an activity of soul [based upon] a rational principle” seeming to say that reason is the most fundamental being of a person. We use reason to dictate every single thing we do. Why did someone eat a banana for a snack? Simply because they were hungry and needed to fill that hunger. Why did someone name a state Georgia? King George was the king of England at the time and the wanted to pay him tribute. There is reason behind everything we do whether the reasoning always makes sense from person to person. Nothing is ever done without reasoning. Epicurus would also agree with this view point. In his Principal Doctrines the sixteenth doctrine states, “Fortune but seldom interferes with the wise person;
his greatest and highest interests have been are, and will be, directed by reason throughout the course of his life.” This statement goes hand in hand with what Aristotle is teaching. A wise person will use reason to dictate everything that he chooses to do in life and will never have to rely on pure luck to get what he wishes. For example a wise person wanting to make money by investing in stocks will not just simply pick stocks that have interesting sounding names or randomly flip a coin to help him decide where he should put his money. Instead he will take the time to research a variety of companies’ portfolios and see which ones seem to be able to produce the most capital in the upcoming months or years. He will continue to keep an eye on his prospects and watch the markets and keep managing his funds to make the most profit. Another example could be a wise fisherman. A wise man would bring a fishing rod and bait making sure to go somewhere known for hosting a number of fish instead of going to the nearest body of water and hoping he finds something. Another one of Epicurus’ doctrines fits in line with the reasoning of Aristotle.
“Unlimited time and limited time afford an equal amount of pleasure, if we measure the limits of that pleasure by reason.” One could argue that this statement is flawed at its very beginning, seeing that in relation to the life span of a human one cannot even fathom unlimited time. If going on that path it can be said that they equal the same amount of pleasure because within the human capacity they are one in the same. Seeing that everything stems back to reason, without reason there would be no pleasure. Personally, I find listening to music very relaxing and a way to express my feelings which brings me pleasure. I listen to music to obtain that pleasure which is the reason behind that action. The same can be said for a person who enjoys skateboarding. They find pleasure when they are able to correctly do a trick or the feeling of being free when they are riding. Reasoning is the only way that pleasure is obtained through that action. Without reason nothing would ever occur which is a teaching believed by both Epicurus and Aristotle, leading to an emptiness of anything. Through both Aristotle and Epicurus one can amass that reasoning is the very basis of human nature. We do what we must and enjoy because of the reasoning behind it. If we are hungry we eat, if we are bored we play a game, if we want to feel happy we listen to our favorite song. Behind every action is a very basic reasoning for
doing said action. Whether it only makes sense to the doer or every onlooker, reasoning is always where actions stem.