Happiness for Aristotle and Plato, Sample of Essays.
According to Aristotle, human virtue means virtue of the soul and not the body, just like human happiness means happiness of the soul. Virtue of humans also will be the state of character which makes them good and which makes them do their own work well. It is a state of character concerned with choice, lying in a mean relative to us.Aristotle says this is why an activity like political action cannot be the sole component of happiness. The action that is in accord with understanding is study. Aristotle defines the supreme virtue as the virtue of the best thing, which is further defined to be understanding.Aristotle wrote that achieving happiness is the only thing that needs to be the reason for any human activity. It is not a thing that lasts for a small period of time, it is the sense of life. The desire to become happy is the hymn for the power of human will and desire for perfection.
In addition, Aristotle believes that happiness does not only depend upon virtue but also upon pleasure, wealth, and leisure. On the other hand, Plato views happiness as a path and as direction. Plato affirms that in attaining happiness, one must exhibit love and lack of desire.Aristotle holds that “perhaps we shall find the best good (happiness) if we first find the function of a human being” (1.7.1097b24). He explains that as trades-people have functions so must human beings have function. This function must also set humans apart form the vegetable and animal kingdoms in order to be a truly human function.
The first book discloses Aristotle’s belief on moral philosophy and the correlation between virtue and happiness. The definition of happiness has long been disputed. According to Aristotle, happiness is the highest good and the ultimate end goal—for it is self-reliant. This idea contradicted other common beliefs and philosophical theories.
