Aristotle and the Good Life

                                        

           

For Aristotle, morality is the study of the For Aristotle, morality is the study of the good life.good life.

The good life includes The good life includes

•good choices, good choices, •good actions, good actions, •good habits, good habits, •good character.good character.

But what is “The Good”?

When a thing has a proper operation, the good of the thing and its well-being consist in that operation

The Good

A good computer is one that operates as it was designed to. It computes well.

A good saw operates as it was designed to: it cuts well

A good plant acts according to its nature (functions well). Grows, reproduces, nourishes itself.

A good dog functions according to its animal nature

Runs, senses (follow a scent), fetches sticks, Runs, senses (follow a scent), fetches sticks, barks, defends house, etc.barks, defends house, etc.

A good man functions wellMan’s specific operation (function):

Intellect (to think)Will (to choose)

Hence, a good man reasons well and chooses well.

Questions:

Is possible for a person to achieve everything that he has set out to achieve in life and in the end find himself unhappy?

Is it possible to have a wife/husband, children, house, and a good job, and at the same time still be unhappy?

If the answer to the first question is “yes”, then does it not follow that happiness is not necessarily doing what you want to do?

If the answer to the second question is “yes”, does it not follow that happiness is not necessarily having a wife/husband, children, house, and a good job?

What then is happiness?

Happiness

Not something that comes from the outside in

Rather, happiness is an inside job

Not something that comes from the outside in

For Aristotle, happiness results from the fulfillment of one’s human nature.

Happiness is: Activity in accordance with perfect virtue

And since one’s nature is fulfilled or perfected And since one’s nature is fulfilled or perfected by the virtues, it follows that:by the virtues, it follows that:

If happiness is the fulfillment of human nature, what are the powers in human nature that need to be fulfilled?

Reason (intelligence)

Will

The Concupiscible Appetite

The Irascible Appetite

Let’s look at each one:Let’s look at each one:

Reason (intelligence): Intelligence is the power that distinguishes you from brute animals. It is the power that enables you to think. But not everyone thinks well. Morally speaking, Hitler did not think well.

Will: The will is not the same as feelings.

The will is what enables you to get out of bed every morning. You don’t feel like getting out of bed, but you choose to do so anyways.

You may not feel like taking a bad tasting medicine, but you choose to do so anyways. That’s the will.

A dog has no will. Put a piece of red meat in front of a hungry dog, and it will eat it.

The Concupiscible Appetite: This is the pleasure appetite. This appetite gives rise to sense desire. Animals have this desire, which is why the hungry dog will necessarily eat the red meat.

The Irascible Appetite: Otherwise called the aggressive appetite. This appetite gives rise to the emotions of anger, fear and daring. This dog is either afraid and running for its life, or it is angry and pursuing the object of his anger.

Sense appetites

Concupiscible appetite

Irascible appetite

Pleasure appetite

Aggressive appetite

Sometime the appetites rebel against reason

I.e.,

The person who easily gives up when things become difficult.

The person who runs when there is danger.

The person who cannot hold a job because he has no self-control over alcoholic drink.

The person who has no control over his sexual appetite, and so can think of nothing other than sex.

The good life (the moral life) begins by bringing order to one’s life.

Disorder

Concupiscible appetite

Irascible appetite

IntellectIntellect

WillWill

BestialBestial

Ordered Life

Concupiscible appetite Irascible appetite

WillWill

ReasonReason

The Intellect

The Will

The irascible appetite

The concupiscible appetite

Prudence

Justice

Courage

Temperance

The Moral Virtues

Good CharacterGood Character

Prudence:Prudence: Wisdom. Knowing what is the morally right choice Wisdom. Knowing what is the morally right choice to make. The ability to apply moral principles to concrete to make. The ability to apply moral principles to concrete situations.situations.

JusticeJustice: : Rendering to another his due. The parts of justice are:Rendering to another his due. The parts of justice are:

PietyPiety renders due honor to parents. renders due honor to parents.ReligionReligion renders due honor to God. renders due honor to God.ObservanceObservance renders due honor to those in public office. renders due honor to those in public office.General JusticeGeneral Justice renders due honor to the civil community as a whole (the renders due honor to the civil community as a whole (the state).state).

FortitudeFortitude: : The virtue that moderates the emotions of The virtue that moderates the emotions of fear and daring.fear and daring.

::

This is This is notnot fortitude fortitude

This is “Daring”.This is “Daring”.

TemperanceTemperance:: The virtue that moderates the The virtue that moderates the pleasures of touch (the pleasures of eating, pleasures of touch (the pleasures of eating, drinking, and sexual activity).drinking, and sexual activity).

This is not temperance, but gluttony.This is not temperance, but gluttony.

According to Aristotle, happiness is goodness or According to Aristotle, happiness is goodness or virtue. If a person has cultivated the virtues of virtue. If a person has cultivated the virtues of Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance, such Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance, such a person is good. And a good person is a happy a person is good. And a good person is a happy person.person.

Why is this more in accordance with the facts?

It’s not having a wife/husband, children, house, and a good job that will make one happy, since many who have such things remain unhappy.

Only a virtuous person will be able to be a good husband/wife, a good parent, and a person committed to the good of the state.

It isn’t doing what you want that renders one happy, but being good or virtuous, that is, having good character.

It is impossible for a virtuous person (character) to be unhappy

Secondary Instances of the Kalon

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The good life also includes secondary aspects that add to the The good life also includes secondary aspects that add to the happy life. They do not constitute the happy life, but they add happy life. They do not constitute the happy life, but they add to it. Many people today confuse the secondary instances of the to it. Many people today confuse the secondary instances of the Kalon with the primary. Happiness is found in virtue, not in Kalon with the primary. Happiness is found in virtue, not in these secondary instances.these secondary instances.

Pleasure

Good Health and Appearance

Proper Nourishment and Sustenance

Full Life Span

Friendship andCooperation with

Others

Respectable FamilyOrigin

Leisure, good fortuneSufficient wealth

What does good character look like?What does good character look like?

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

What does good character look like?What does good character look like?

What does good character look like?What does good character look like?