Ethics Essay Aristotle

Aristotle was born the son of a doctor in northern Greece. He entered Plato’s academy in Athens when he was eighteen years old and continued to study there for twenty years until Plato died in 347. Throughout this time Aristotle adhered to the belief that moral excellence or virtue (arête) will lead to happiness (eudemonia). It is in my opinion that Aristotle was correct in his beliefs that being a moral person and having virtue will lead to happiness. One reason that I believe that Aristotle was correct in his beliefs is based on the topic of regret. If a person lives by specific rules that they made for themselves or learned through others teachings they should feel no regret. To me Aristotle’s idea of virtue leading to happiness means the same thing. If you follow your beliefs throughout your life you will be happy. You will live life with little to no regrets. Living life with little to no regrets opens the doorway to happiness. There are, of course, unexpected events that may try to take you off of the right tract to happiness, but that’s just the way life is. Living your life with moral excellence will help you overcome these obstacles in proper ways, in order to not interfere with the promise of happiness. Another reason that I agree with Aristotle’s belief that moral excellence or virtue (arête) will lead to happiness (eudemonia) is because if a person lives there life in a virtuous manner internally they should be happy already. Personally, when I do something for others without the expectation of a reward I feel happy and good about what I have done. On the other hand, if I see a person in need and I completely disregard them, I will feel unhappy with myself. This creates the inability for me to have happiness (eudemonia). Aristotle once said that “Every art and every investigation, and likewise every practical pursuit or undertaking seems to aim at some good: hence it has been well said that the Good is That at which all things aim” (Aristotle,