Each person has his or her ain perceptual experience of felicity. The definition of felicity depends on the criterions that people set for themselves. for others. and for the universe. Nevertheless. felicity is people’s highest end. Therefore. their attempts and passion are rooted in their desire to be happy. Happiness has besides been related to the words “successful” and “fulfilled. ” but. what does it intend to be genuinely fulfilled and happy? If felicity is humans’ highest craving. so one must seek penetrations on how to be happy.
Hence. early philosophers like Plato and Aristotle attempted to specify felicity. Both claim that felicity is a pick. and it can be achieved by populating a good life. However. both presented different positions on what constitutes felicity and a good life. In their journey to cognize the existent significance of felicity. Aristotle and Plato started oppugning what precisely constitutes a happy life. Happiness for Aristotle is a pick. and it starts within. It is non something that happens or comes to a individual from without ; instead. felicity is rooted in human picks.
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Human choices harmonizing to Aristotle root from virtuousnesss. The ability to ground or to cognize and to contemplate the truth will do a individual get virtuousness. Since adult male is gifted with rational psyche. so a “man’s highest purpose is the activity of the psyche in conformance with reason” ( “Plato and Aristotle” ) . Aristotle motivates people to seek the truth that comes from the right virtuousness of concluding. Although adult male is non born virtuous. he is born with senses. and senses must be used and utilized for a human individual to larn. Harmonizing to Aristotle. larning takes clip.
Therefore. the acquired virtuousness should be practiced habitually. After several old ages of acquisition. Aristotle claims that a individual who lives a virtuous life habitually will accomplish and finish a perfect life. A good adult male is one who grounds good and finally chooses good. Plato portions the same construct with Aristotle that a individual. in order to be happy. must take to move harmonizing to his ground and cognition. Basically. both believe that work forces as rational existences have the pick to move harmonizing to their will. Virtue leads to happiness. and adult male should move harmonizing to this cognition.
To be happy. both philosophers believe that one must hone the head and character from virtuousnesss through uninterrupted and accustomed pattern. However. Aristotle sees happiness as more than a virtuousness: “Nature is human nature as a whole. This is both rational and sensuous. His intervention of felicity is in closer contact with experience than that of Plato” ( Maher ) . In add-on. Aristotle believes that felicity does non merely depend upon virtuousness but besides upon pleasance. wealth. and leisure. On the other manus. Plato views felicity as a way and as way.
Plato affirms that in achieving felicity. one must exhibit love and deficiency of desire. Happiness will automatically happen when one arrives at a mystical apprehension of the universe. Human logical thinking. after all. is rooted from religious component. One must recognize that the nature of goodness is unconditioned. and when this nature is revealed. he or she will consequentially be happy. Therefore. it appears that Plato’s position of achieving felicity is more metaphysical than Aristotle’s. while Aristotle’s position is more realistic than Plato’s.
Aristotle acknowledges men’s desire to be happy harmonizing to the satisfaction of senses so every bit long as it will non belie virtuousness. As Aristotle believes that the psyche does non last after decease. people should endeavor to be happy while they are still alive. On the other manus. Plato claims that true felicity is achieved merely in the public presentation of one’s ain responsibility. particularly the responsibility of exerting justness as the highest signifier of virtuousness. ( “Plato and Aristotle” ) . Therefore. in Plato’s position of felicity. single felicity is sacrificed for the good of the community. This thought was rejected by Aristotle. as he believes in single felicity.
