Abby Leonard

3/11/2009

PHL 230 T/R 9:30am

The Possibility of Happiness in Life

In the first few books of the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle claims that happiness in life is possible to attain. It is evident to me that this claim is accurate and I will attempt to explain and support that claim throughout this essay. In order to do this thoroughly we must first define happiness and its components, reason and virtue. Then I will continue to explain how to attain these components and therefore happiness itself. Personally, I have done my best to achieve happiness and am pleased with my life but as for the rest of the world, as we will see shortly; their own happiness is ultimately up to themselves.

According to what we learned from Socrates in previous studied works and affirmed by Aristotle in the Nicomachean Ethics, the good is “what everything seeks (Nicomachean Ethics 1094a3).” So what is the good? The good “for both the many and the cultivated call it happiness (1095a16-17).” Then it is agreed that the human good is human happiness. What does it mean to be ‘human’? Human beings have a part of their souls that other living creatures do not have. That is the part of reason. Physical activity is an integral part of the condition known as life. Therefore, “the human function is activity of the soul in accord with reason or requiring reason (1098a9-10).” That is what makes us uniquely ‘human’. Accordingly, we must examine what ‘good’ is uniquely ‘human’ so we can determine the ‘human good’. Aristotle believes that “the human good proves to be activity of the soul in accord with virtue (1098a17-18).” It is sensible to assume that the human function is reason applied by the soul; which in turn allows us to perform the activities of the human good, virtue. Ergo, virtues, determined by reason, are the actions of the human good which lead to the condition of human happiness; since happiness is a “condition of the soul (1099a9).” Simply, virtues by means of reason lead to happiness. Since we have concluded that happiness requires virtues conducted with reason we must continue with our explanation of achieving happiness in life by examining virtue.

Aristotle defines virtue as “a state that decides, consisting in a mean, the mean relative to us, which is defined by reference to reason (1107a1-2).” Let us examine this definition by explaining its individual parts. Aristotle starts by saying that “there are three conditions arising in the soul—feelings, capacities, and states” and that “virtue must be one of these (1105b20-22).” He eliminates the possibility of virtue being either feeling or capacity for feeling because these are not subject to praise or blame in and of themselves, whereas virtues are subject to these judgments because “virtues are decisions of some kind (1106a4).” Therefore, virtues must be states. In other words, they are states or conditions based on decision. In accordance, the decisions used to determine our state also leads to determining our character. In making a decision a person takes an active role in developing their character, which Aristotle believes is essential to achieving happiness. According to him “the actions also control the sorts of states we acquire (1103b32)” for the actions are the “sources and causes both of the emergence and growth of virtues and of their ruin (1104a28-29).” Also Aristotle claims that “actions should accord with correct reason (1103b33).” Reason is usually associated with logic and determining the logic in a given situation requires a process of thought. Using logical reasoning we are able to determine, based on the circumstances, what appropriate action should be taken in that given situation because virtue will “aim at what is intermediate (1106b16).” It is evident that the states of virtue, through examples such as temperance and bravery, are “ruined by excess and deficiency, but preserved by the mean (1104a26027).” It is apparent then that virtue of character is “a mean because it aims at the intermediate condition in feelings and actions (1109a22-23).” Now because every situation surrounding feelings that require some decided action or non-action are unique and “judgment depends on perception (1109b22-23),” there are “no fixed answers (1104a5).” This is why virtue by way of the mean is relative to us, more precisely the individual and situation under examination. To conclude this portion of examination on our way to proving the possibility of happiness; I will reiterate that virtue by definition is a part of a person’s character that decides on an action, determined by the logical reasoning that establishes the mean or middle act, based on the individual and unique situation.

The next necessary step in understanding virtue is determining how we achieve the mean in our actions. We have already determined that the mean is the intermediate act because both of the extremes, excess and deficiency, ruin virtue. Such as is the case with the virtue, bravery, in regards to “feelings of fear and confidence (1107b1).” Excessive confidence or excessive fearlessness leads to recklessness; whereas a deficiency in confidence or fearlessness would lead to cowardice (1107b1-4). So given specific circumstances the reasonable course of actions can be determined. The next phase is applying the reasoned logic into action which can be somewhat more difficult. We will examine how this can be achieved. Aristotle gives three basic steps to help in this process. First of all, it is common for one extreme to produce larger consequences than the other based on the situation. Aristotle suggests that one should “steer clear of the more contrary extreme (1109a32).” An example of this would be a physical altercation with another person due to anger. For example if the other person involved in this altercation has the physical advantage over you; it would be better, if you are unsure of the most virtuous action, to lean to the extreme of cowardice rather than recklessness because in this case recklessness could cause you serious physical injury or death whereas cowardice would cause you psychological damage that could potentially be repaired later. Secondly, Aristotle claims that it is best to “examine what we ourselves drift into easily (1109b2).” If we are able to know our own tendencies or weaknesses we will be better able to take the action in accordance with the opposite extreme to try to compensate for our tendencies. Lastly, Aristotle warns us to be “aware above all of pleasure and its sources; for we are already biased in its favor (1109b8-9).” Logically, in the process of forming our virtuous character, wherein all virtuous acts should be comfortable for us, it will not always be what brings us pleasure that is truly the mean and therefore virtuous action. So we must guard ourselves from this tendency to prefer pleasure, in particular, until we form our truly virtuous character. How do form our truly virtuous character? Aristotle would say through habituation.

Aristotle makes very clear his belief that “virtue of character results from habit (1103a17-17).” We are not born with virtue but born “able to acquire them, and we are completed through habit (1103a26),” However, one virtuous act does not make some one virtuous of character. That is say the only way to achieving virtue is through continually practicing the actions determined by reason. It is evident then that “a state of character results from the repetition of similar activities (1103b21-22).” A virtuous character is formed by doing virtuous actions consistently. The action is circular; in performing virtuous acts consistently we become virtuous of character and in turn being virtuous of character makes us “most capable (1104b1)” of virtuous acts. Basically, those actions we found more difficult or unpleasant will become natural and easy after consistent practice. This should be obvious because of the role practice takes in other areas of life.

Our next question must be then, once we have achieved a virtuous character how do we ultimately become happy? To answer this we must examine the requirements for happiness. Aristotle believes that “happiness is a certain sort of activity of the soul in accord with virtue (1099b26-27).” How do we account for this and still believe we can achieve happiness through virtue? First of all Aristotle agrees “that of the other goods, some are necessary conditions of happiness, while others are naturally useful and cooperative as instruments but are not part of it (1099b27-29).” Some circumstances make achieving happiness harder or easier. He explains this by saying “happiness requires both complete virtue and a complete life (1100a5-6).” It is obvious that extremes conditions that affect a person’s ability to physically survive will affect our ability to achieve happiness for “we cannot, or cannot easily, do fine actions if we lack the resources (1099a31-32).” These instances fall the most extreme of circumstances and do not affect the majority of people today. However, even in the most extreme circumstances, “what is fine shines through, whenever someone bears many severe misfortunes with good temper, not because he feels no distress, but because he is noble and magnanimous (1100b31-33).” We have seen in our own history that even in the worst cases such as slavery, people can perform many virtuous acts and achieve a certain level of happiness because of them. The opposite, extreme blessedness, would make performing virtuous acts easier because there would be no concerns for the physical body. By attaining a virtuous character, a person would develop individual virtues such as temperance in regards to emotions of pleasure and pain. Therefore, that person’s consistent action will help prevent fluctuation in their happiness because “he will neither be easily shaken from happiness nor shaken by just any misfortunes (1101a9-11).” Even if he affected by many serious misfortunes, he will still find “a return to happiness (1101a12).” Conclusively, “the happy person is the one whose activities accord with complete virtue, with an adequate supply of external good, not for just any time but for a complete life (1101a15-17).” Moreover, once a person has attained a virtuous character after a process of hard work involving consistent virtuous actions, “the happy person has the stability of character we are looking for and keeps the character he has throughout his life (1100b18-19).”

It is nice to think that by achieving virtue we can attain happiness but is that truly applicable or possible for people to obtain? I think that it is and let me reaffirm to you the reasons why. Do not forget that happiness is the good in life that people seek and that that good is achieved by using our reason to determine and perform virtuous acts and with consistency become virtuous by character. We can do this because “we are not blamed if we deviate a little in excess or deficiency from doing well (1109b19-20).” Perfection is not possible. More importantly, “we first have the capacity for it, and later perform the activity (1103a28-29)” because “anyone who is not deformed in his capacity for virtue will be able to achieve happiness (1099b18-19).” In short we can achieve happiness because we are human beings and therefore born with the capacity to become more ‘human’.