Human nature is constructed to aim for something good at the end of every act. Every human aims at achieving the happiness as an end result. That is the reason why in this paper‚ I will argue that Aristotle’s theory‚ Nicomachean Ethics‚ is the most plausible theory in describing human nature and answering the question of how one should live in order to attain happiness. According to Aristotle all the human activities are directed towards a final end‚ which he claims to be the happiness. He also claims
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Meaghan Hill 24th September 2012 Ethics; Dr. Patton The Nicomachean Ethics - Virtues People are naturally self aware‚ and because of that we are under the impression we are in complete control over our personalities and actions. Aristotle reasons in “The Nicomachean Ethics” that peoples values and ethics are shaped by the society in which they live in‚ and that are ability to follow them is based on how we are raised. According to Aristotle we are trained in the behaviors that are socially acceptable
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Moral Philosophy As Aristotle uncovered in the early chapters of Book 1 of Nicomachean Ethics‚ all actions teleological‚ aiming at the ultimate good. Everything we do is goal directed‚ with this ultimate end being happiness‚ but more exactly a maintained state of well being called eudaimonia. While the route to achieve this ultimate end can be unique for individuals and understood different by those of varying experience and intellectual levels‚ the chief good at the end always remains the
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Europe‚ decided to discover what it means to truly be happy and how humans could attain it. Aristotle studied many areas of human knowledge and wrote his thesis in his book The Nicomachean Ethics. He develops the notion that thinking will lead to the highest happiness that a human could achieve. In The Nicomachean Ethics‚ Aristotle talks about how humans have immediate goods in life such as “pleasure‚ money‚ or‚ eminence‚” which will contribute to the supreme good in life (7). However‚ the supreme
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Real happiness is what every person would love to experience throughout their lifetime. Yet‚ finding true happiness can be quite difficult. Aristotle presents an argument in his book‚ the Nicomachean Ethics‚ that to live a life of contentment you must live by the virtues set before you. He explains that happiness is something that can’t be defined easily‚ that it is distinct to each person. According to Aristotle‚ everything we do will result in some good‚ or happiness. We should aim towards this
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actions that are within the mean; neither excessive‚ nor deficient. Aristotle also emphasizes that happiness is more permanent than pleasure. Indeed‚ he argues further that our ethics is defined by our actions. His main point is that we need to live temperate lives in order to be
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Scholars do not agree on where the name for the Nicomachean Ethics comes from. Both Aristotle’s father and his son were named Nicomachus‚ so it is possible that the book is dedicated to either one. Other scholars suggest that Aristotle’s son may have edited the book after Aristotle died‚ so that the title “Nicomachean” may refer to this particular edition of Aristotle’s ethical works. Happiness is the highest good and the end at which all our activities ultimately aim. All our activities aim at some
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in his teachings with how he describes this happiness. Therefore‚ happiness is a difficult concept to explain because how Aristotle defined happiness may differ from how one may define happiness in current society. In Aristotle’s teachings‚ Nicomachean Ethics‚ he explains his opinion on happiness. He believes there is such a thing as the human good and when one reaches this good they have reached
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In the Nicomachean Ethics‚ Aristotle sets out to give an account of how to best attain happiness. According to Aristotle‚ happiness is the greatest good and is the motivating factor for all of our actions (1094a1-3). Even though we may feel motivated to act in order to gain honor and praise‚ these things are not good for their own sake. Happiness‚ however‚ does not have a further end and is thus the greatest good (1095a17-20). Attaining happiness requires that we act in a way that corresponds with
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What is that end or goal for which we should direct all of our activities? Eudaimonia‚ inherently translated as “happiness‚” carries implications of accomplishment and contentment. In Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics‚ happiness is not described as an interior emotion‚ but as an activity. Happiness is a subject that can be assessed just as precisely by an onlooker as by the person being observed. “Happiness‚ above all else‚ is held to be; for this we choose always for itself and never for the sake of
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