Aristotle and the Good Life

1. Aristotle and the Good Life

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

3. The Good A good computer is one that functions well.

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

5. A good man functions well Man’s specific operation (function): Intellect (to think) Will (to choose) Hence, a good man reasons well and chooses well.

6. Happiness (Eudaimonia) Every Agent Acts for an End (Final Cause)

7. Earlier Questions: If it is possible to achieve everything that one has set out to achieve in life and in the end find oneself unhappy, then does it not follow that happiness is not necessarily doing what you want to do? If it is possible to have a wife/husband, children, house, and a good job, and at the same time still be unhappy, does it not follow that happiness is not necessarily having a wife/husband, children, house, and a good job? Yes, it follows with irrefutable logic

8. Not something that comes from the outside in What then is happiness? Happiness Not something that comes from the outside in Rather, happiness is an inside job

9. Happiness is an activity, not a passivity Chosen, not determined Happiness (eudaimonia)

10. Socrates: happiness is the perfection of the soul. In other words, happiness is goodness, virtue. Aristotle: partly true. Happiness is the perfection of the highest powers in man, as well as the lower powers. It is the perfection of the intellect, the will, as well as the perfection of the concupiscible and irascible appetites.

11. Happiness: Activity in accordance with perfect virtue Why? Because virtue perfects the powers of the soul. In other words, virtue disposes the powers of the soul to their proper activity.

14. If happiness is the fulfillment of human nature, what is the highest power in human nature? Reason (intelligence) All men by nature desire to know.

15. Supreme End (Good) Knowing the highest things Theoretical Contemplation ...the activity of our intelligence constitutes the complete happiness of man,...So if it is true that intelligence is divine in comparison with man, then a life guided by intelligence is divine in comparison with human life. We must not follow those who advise us to have human thoughts, since we are only men, and mortal thoughts, as mortals should; on the contrary, we should try to become immortal as far as that is possible and do our utmost to live in accordance with what is highest in us.

16. The human person must strive to know, to develop his mind, to enjoy the contemplation of truth But man is not a “separate substance” (pure form). Man is a rational animal.

17. Concupiscible appetite Sense appetites Pleasure appetite Irascible appetite Aggressive appetite

18. Concupiscible Appetite Sense appetite: whose object is the “sensible good”. Gives rise to the emotions of love, desire, satisfaction, or hate, aversion, and sorrow

19. Irascible Appetite Sense appetite: whose object is the difficult sensible good or difficult sensible evil. Gives rise to emotions of hope and despair

20. Irascible Appetite Sense appetite: the object of this appetite might be a sensible evil that is difficult to surmount. Gives rise to the emotions of fear, daring, anger

21. 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.

22. Sometime the appetites rebel against reason 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.

23. The good life begins by bringing order (proper form) to one’s life.

24. Disorder Concupiscible appetite Irascible appetite Intellect Will Bestial

25. Ordered Life Reason Will Concupiscible appetite Irascible appetite

26. The Kalon (the morally beautiful) The morally right The noble The good The beautiful The happy man is the noble man. Noble (kalon): attractive, morally beautiful, virtuous.

27. Beautiful (Nobel) Character The Intellectual Virtues: Wisdom, Science, Understanding. The Moral Virtues The Intellect The Will The irascible appetite The concupiscible appetite Prudence – Practical Wisdom Justice Fortitude Temperance

28. 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 willing the good, the noble, the beautiful, I.e good character. It is impossible for a virtuous person (character) to be unhappy

29. The VirtuesA Mean Between Two Extremes

30. Temperance and its parts

33. Moderate love of one’s own excellence

34. The virtue that subjects the emotion of anger to the demands of reason

35. The virtue which inclines one to dress honestly, simply, and ordinarily (as opposed to dressing provocatively, or extravagantly)

36. Modesty

37. Immodesty

38. The virtue that moderates fear and daring

39. The virtue that moderates the emotion of sorrow, disposing one to endure a difficult and trying situation for the sake of the good.

40. The virtue by which one stretches forth towards great and honorable ends.

41. Doing great and honorable things with great wealth

43. Justice:The constant will to render to another that which is due to him or her.

45. Inordinate love of possessing The proper and reasonable stewardship of excess riches Spending money on the flesh that leads one to take no pleasure in virtue

46. The virtue of speaking and acting in accord with truth. We have a moral debt to express ourselves truthfully.

47. Vindication: the virtue by which one, in conformity with relevant circumstances, observes due measure in meting out punishment to one who has committed some moral offense. It is willing of punishment for the sake of preserving the just order and restraining evildoers.

48. Affability: the virtue by which one promotes and maintains agreeable relations in social life. It is a friendliness, an establishment of cordial relations with others (not the same as friendship).

49. The virtue inclining the will to correct law when law fails to apply in particular instances.

50. The Most Important Virtues Allied with Justice Veneration (Observance): The virtue by which we show honor and respect to persons who are in a position of dignity and/or authority.Ie, Leaders of State, Court Justices,teacher, vice-principal, principal, police officer, etc.,.