Aristotle "The Good Life"

Aristotle "The Good Life"

Conclusion

Recall: Aristotle's Theory of "The Good"

"Young people can become mathematicians, geometers, and wise in things of that sort; but they do not appear to become people of practical wisdom. The reason is that practical wisdom is of the particular, which becomes graspable through experience, but a young person is not experienced. For a quantity of time is required for experience"

-Aristotle

Aristotle Beliefs Continued

Aristotle was opened to the opinions of his teacher Plato, but was an intelligent being that went on to elaborate and form his own ideas and teachings.

Overall he believes the good life is composed of the good you put into your own life and the happiness you create for yourself through enjoying the little things and searching for the good; as it is always around us.

• God provides the utmost good
• Since God is good everything he created is good
• To truly find good in something, you first need to understand it
• To be a good person, you must act virtuous
• The middle way
• Humans have the power to think and reason before they act, this allows them to be ethical
• To act ethically will serve happiness throughout life

Aristotle

• Aristotle believed that the good is individualized.
• Aristotle was concerned with the fastest way to become happy, this sometimes required following ones instincts

What Does This Mean to You?

384-322 BC

Aristotle's thoughts on "The Good Life"

However...

Overall...

• The search for the good is to see the potential within all things

• Sometimes instincts do not lead to happiness and it is important to act intelligently

Aristotle vs Other Philosopher's:

"All people aspire to some good and all seek to be happy."

Aristotle vs. Kant:

Aristotle vs. Levinas

• Aristotle was born in Stagira, a northern colony of Greece bordering Macedonia
• He came from a wealthy family
• He was well rounded in his studies, it was his studies that gave him such knowledge and understanding of life

• Kant rejected the ethics raised by Aristotle and Aquinas.

He believed:

• happiness is a product of doing good.
• people reason to act because they're obliged to do so.
• Must be supreme goodness beyond this line

He believed:

• the good comes as a call.
• having appreciation for the smaller things in life such as the comforts that you have at home lead to the good life.

Aristotle vs. Aquinas

Aquinas also believed that the ethical comes from the end much like Aristotle.

• Aristotle interpreted Plato's theories, understanding them in a way that allowed him to contribute ideas of his own to the world
• When considering the good Aristotle put the people of society first

He believed:

• the core of a person is where the desire for the good comes from.
• happiness was connected to the good life lived by a virtuous person.
• having live a good life on earth ones happiness would not be exhausted.

Aristotle's Relationship with Plato

Aristotle's Disagreements with Plato

Aristotle's Agreements with Plato

• At the age of 17, Aristotle went to Athens to study under Plato; who was Athens greatest thinker
• They had different approaches to philosophy
• Aristotle had a greater consideration for humans, whereas Plato focused on the abstraction of the world

• Aristotle states that THE good cannot be found, but rather A good
• Aristotle was more down to earth than Plato
• Plato's idea of good is too abstract, Aristotle was more focused on the "little things"

• Both had a high regard for the good
• Good cannot be located, it is in all things
• Philosophers are the most likely to find the good in life
• Aristotle agrees with Plato's fight against Sophism

An Example of Today's False Impression of "The Good Life"

Money Will Buy Happiness...

People believe that the more money you have the happier you will be. Do you agree with this statement?Why or why not?

So Which is Right?

Neither! Aristotle is a big believer in a balanced lifestyle.

His doctrine of the mean states it is better to be in the middle of two extremes than on either end of it.

Whereas Other's Have a Different Approach...

Some People Believe...

Some people believe money is the root to all happiness because it can buy life's luxuries.

Money doesn't bring you happiness, it only gets in the way of more important things: family, relationships, values and virtues.

"We swore each other everlasting love

I said well yeah I know but when we did;

There was one thing we weren't

Thinking of and that's money."

Money changes everything - Cindy Lauper

-Notorious B.I.G