IV Eudaimonia = Happiness
Identification: Aristotle now raises the question: What is "the good at which political science aims"?
In keeping with the principle of harmony between the good of the individual and the State he contends that this good will be the highest of all goods "achievable by action" for man.
General Agreement: As to the name all agree: it is eudaimonia = happiness.
Note: The circumstance that all people point to one end as the supreme good is just an empirical (linguistic) indication that the previously stated conditional argument (a series of "ifs") on the possibility of the supreme end is firmly grounded on some facts.
Meaning: Literally, eudaimonia means "good (guiding) spirit". But it is neither an emotional condition nor an externally induced state (luck). Eudaimonia denotes "doing well", blessedness, prosperity, in brief, it is a positive answer to the question "how do you do?" Rather than just a feeling of contentment it is an active state of well-being, being-well, doing well (eu zen kai prattein).
Practical Matter Note: Happiness was a matter of living properly, not a matter of feeling happy. A person who is happy (eudaimon) is not simply enjoying life but is enjoying life by living it to the fullest, that is to say, by living successfully under stable conditions rather than trying everything anew. Therefore, the verdict of posterity could at least in certain aspects change the character of somebody's life which does not make sense if we understand happiness as one's emotional state of fulfillment.
Content oriented Happiness (eudaimonia) now replaces "the best good" (ariston) which was a pretty abstract and formal concept devoid of any material content. Happiness should lead us to an explication of the best good in terms of the best content. Still the word "happiness" is just an empty formula.
Nominal Agreement: Or better to say, it is still just an empty formula because it is saturated with different content. This sounds... [continues]
Identification: Aristotle now raises the question: What is "the good at which political science aims"?
In keeping with the principle of harmony between the good of the individual and the State he contends that this good will be the highest of all goods "achievable by action" for man.
General Agreement: As to the name all agree: it is eudaimonia = happiness.
Note: The circumstance that all people point to one end as the supreme good is just an empirical (linguistic) indication that the previously stated conditional argument (a series of "ifs") on the possibility of the supreme end is firmly grounded on some facts.
Meaning: Literally, eudaimonia means "good (guiding) spirit". But it is neither an emotional condition nor an externally induced state (luck). Eudaimonia denotes "doing well", blessedness, prosperity, in brief, it is a positive answer to the question "how do you do?" Rather than just a feeling of contentment it is an active state of well-being, being-well, doing well (eu zen kai prattein).
Practical Matter Note: Happiness was a matter of living properly, not a matter of feeling happy. A person who is happy (eudaimon) is not simply enjoying life but is enjoying life by living it to the fullest, that is to say, by living successfully under stable conditions rather than trying everything anew. Therefore, the verdict of posterity could at least in certain aspects change the character of somebody's life which does not make sense if we understand happiness as one's emotional state of fulfillment.
Content oriented Happiness (eudaimonia) now replaces "the best good" (ariston) which was a pretty abstract and formal concept devoid of any material content. Happiness should lead us to an explication of the best good in terms of the best content. Still the word "happiness" is just an empty formula.
Nominal Agreement: Or better to say, it is still just an empty formula because it is saturated with different content. This sounds... [continues]
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(2010, 10). Happiness. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 10, 2010, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Happiness-423172.html
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"Happiness" StudyMode.com. 10 2010. 10 2010 <http://www.studymode.com/essays/Happiness-423172.html>.
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"Happiness." StudyMode.com. 10, 2010. Accessed 10, 2010. http://www.studymode.com/essays/Happiness-423172.html.
