Aristotle Good Life Analysis
Question 7: Aristotle says we cannot really be happy without certain external goods that are not fully in our control: good family, friends, financial security, children, beauty. Do you agree? Do our external circumstances determine if we have a good life? Or can we have a good life by becoming independent of external circumstances?
Answer: Before I begin to explain my answer to the first question, I think it's important to note that Aristotle acknowledged the existence of contention between what was categorized as characteristics of a good life and characteristics or elements of good fortune (22). "There are some external goods the absence of which spoils supreme happiness, eg., good birth, good children, and beauty; for a man who is very …show more content…
The reasoning behind why external goods and circumstances are so necessary is because it is "impossible or at least not easy to perform noble actions " without these outside factors in play (21). Reasoning for this could be that people need to see their progress in others; a friend is validating to have because they encourage you, you can give them gifts which makes you feel good, etc. In that, what sticks out to me in his claim is that it actually isn't impossible, just rather difficult to achieve happiness if you don't have elements of a good fortune eg., wealth, family, friends. Still, if it is not impossible, If people act in a virtuous manner, conduct themselves nobly and seek after intelligence they need only depend upon themselves. Happiness comes from the inside and by witnessing the good works that your virtue creates. Yes, friends provide a great way to embody or witness the results of your doings, but is it not more virtuous and noble to invest good behavior in a stranger? Someone who is not aware of your goodwill, but will benefit from it anyways? This shows a more noble character because there are no selfish motivations like those that might appear with the friends or family in good fortune; you wouldn't be keeping family and friends around for the pleasure, validation, or other feelings that they give you. Aristotle made it seem as though friends, money, and even family were ends that added up to a greater happiness; they are assets that may be utilized to bathe in your own virtue and continue to grow. I argue that in order to cultivate true happiness and do it through your own work, you must also do it unselfishly, otherwise the virtue and nobility that is so necessary is lost, or canceled out. A negative means does not justify the positive result after all, in fact it would inhibit
Answer: Before I begin to explain my answer to the first question, I think it's important to note that Aristotle acknowledged the existence of contention between what was categorized as characteristics of a good life and characteristics or elements of good fortune (22). "There are some external goods the absence of which spoils supreme happiness, eg., good birth, good children, and beauty; for a man who is very …show more content…
The reasoning behind why external goods and circumstances are so necessary is because it is "impossible or at least not easy to perform noble actions " without these outside factors in play (21). Reasoning for this could be that people need to see their progress in others; a friend is validating to have because they encourage you, you can give them gifts which makes you feel good, etc. In that, what sticks out to me in his claim is that it actually isn't impossible, just rather difficult to achieve happiness if you don't have elements of a good fortune eg., wealth, family, friends. Still, if it is not impossible, If people act in a virtuous manner, conduct themselves nobly and seek after intelligence they need only depend upon themselves. Happiness comes from the inside and by witnessing the good works that your virtue creates. Yes, friends provide a great way to embody or witness the results of your doings, but is it not more virtuous and noble to invest good behavior in a stranger? Someone who is not aware of your goodwill, but will benefit from it anyways? This shows a more noble character because there are no selfish motivations like those that might appear with the friends or family in good fortune; you wouldn't be keeping family and friends around for the pleasure, validation, or other feelings that they give you. Aristotle made it seem as though friends, money, and even family were ends that added up to a greater happiness; they are assets that may be utilized to bathe in your own virtue and continue to grow. I argue that in order to cultivate true happiness and do it through your own work, you must also do it unselfishly, otherwise the virtue and nobility that is so necessary is lost, or canceled out. A negative means does not justify the positive result after all, in fact it would inhibit