The Odyssey: The Human Ideal

Tyler Parsons
9:15 class
The Human Ideal
Human Ideal is a very subjective idea across the board. There are many factors that influence a person’s perspective on a prefect human ideal. The most prevalent factor seems to be the culture of the society. The culture and the society I was raised in brought me to the finalization of my personal human ideal. People should live to fulfill the ultimate good of happiness without stepping on others to reach it and at the same time to avoid extreme and take the middle way. My human ideal is pretty much stated in “Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle”, but the other texts have their own validated ways to reach the human ideal. The Odyssey portrayed a character who seems to be the ideal mortal. His name
The basic idea behind Aristotle’s book is that the ultimate goal in life is to achieve true happiness. This particular idea makes the most sense to me. “Happiness, then, is found to be something perfect and self-sufficient, being the end to which our actions are directed” (Aristotle, Page 15). This quote states that happiness is the final, the end and all other things will lead up to this. Happiness is stated to direct our actions because people all want to be happy. This idea gives people the feeling of “self-sufficient” because no other person can make another person achieve the ultimate good because it is all dependent on the person. Happiness is a perfect thing because no one truly knows what it is until they reach it themselves. The idea of happiness is subjective around the world given the different cultures so it is impossible to even begin to describe specifically how to reach the ultimate good. He also says "Since happiness is a certain sort of activity of the soul in accord with complete virtue, we must examine virtue; for that will perhaps also be a way to study happiness better" (Aristotle, 16). Happiness is a virtue and in order to know happiness then you need to have an idea of what a virtue is. Virtue is the behavior showing high moral standards. Moral standards are important in all culture and especially in the Geek culture because of the gods who
My ideas agree with Aristotle in that happiness should be the ultimate goal no matter what way you achieve it. The one exception I have is that your path to happiness shouldn’t put others down and obstruct their path to happiness. If you feel there is no other option to reach your goal, then think again because there is always a middle way and some way to reach your goal without hurting others. You need to live for each other and of course put your life or loved ones at the top of your list, but even a homeless drug addict on the street is a person and should be treated as such regardless of their poor choices in life. This also brings of the issue of what is that person has hurt someone. I feel that even if a person has intentional hurt another human being should at least have the chance to change unless they murdered, raped, or committed crimes as extreme as those. However, if the person shows no signs of regret or urge to reform, then justice will be properly laid onto the person in question. In this world, justice is a must because without it nothing is stopping people from obstructing other’s paths to happiness. Happiness is all too important in life to let a few hurt or corrupt the