Aristotle and the Good Life

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Aristotle and the Good Life
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• For Aristotle, morality is the study of the good
  life.
• The good life includes
• good choices,
• good actions,
• good habits,
• good character.

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But what is The Good?
When a thing has a proper operation, the good of
the thing and its well-being consist in that
operation
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The Good
A good computer is one that operates as it was
designed to. It computes well.
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A good saw operates as it was designed to it
cuts well
A good plant acts according to its nature
(functions well). Grows, reproduces, nourishes
itself.
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A good dog functions according to its animal
nature
Runs, senses (follow a scent), fetches sticks,
barks, defends house, etc.
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A good man functions well Mans specific
operation (function) Intellect (to
think) Will (to choose)
Hence, a good man reasons well and chooses well.
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Questions
Is possible for a person to achieve everything
that he has set out to achieve in life and in the
end find himself unhappy?
Is it possible to have a wife/husband, children,
house, and a good job, and at the same time still
be unhappy?
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If the answer to the first question is yes,
then does it not follow that happiness is not
necessarily doing what you want to do?
If the answer to the second question is yes,
does it not follow that happiness is not
necessarily having a wife/husband, children,
house, and a good job?
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Not something that comes from the outside in
What then is happiness?
Happiness
Not something that comes from the outside in
Rather, happiness is an inside job
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For Aristotle, happiness results from the
fulfillment of ones human nature.
And since ones nature is fulfilled or perfected
by the virtues, it follows that
Happiness is Activity in accordance with
perfect virtue
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If happiness is the fulfillment of human nature,
what are the powers in human nature that need to
be fulfilled?
Reason (intelligence) Will The Concupiscible
Appetite The Irascible Appetite
Lets look at each one
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Reason (intelligence) Intelligence is the power
that distinguishes you from brute animals. It is
the power that enables you to think. But not
everyone thinks well. Morally speaking, Hitler
did not think well.
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Will The will is not the same as feelings.
The will is what enables you to get out of bed
every morning. You dont feel like getting out
of bed, but you choose to do so anyways. You may
not feel like taking a bad tasting medicine, but
you choose to do so anyways. Thats the will. A
dog has no will. Put a piece of red meat in
front of a hungry dog, and it will eat it.
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The Concupiscible Appetite This is the pleasure
appetite. This appetite gives rise to sense
desire. Animals have this desire, which is why
the hungry dog will necessarily eat the red meat.
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The Irascible Appetite Otherwise called the
aggressive appetite. This appetite gives rise to
the emotions of anger, fear and daring. This dog
is either afraid and running for its life, or it
is angry and pursuing the object of his anger.
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Concupiscible appetite
Sense appetites
Pleasure appetite
Irascible appetite
Aggressive appetite
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Sometime the appetites rebel against reason
I.e., The person who easily gives up when
things become difficult. The person who runs
when there is danger. The person who cannot hold
a job because he has no self-control over
alcoholic drink. The person who has no control
over his sexual appetite, and so can think of
nothing other than sex.
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The good life (the moral life) begins by bringing
order to ones life.
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Disorder
Concupiscible appetite
Irascible appetite
Intellect Will
Bestial
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Ordered Life
Reason
Will
Concupiscible appetite
Irascible appetite
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Good Character
The Moral Virtues
The Intellect The Will The irascible
appetite The concupiscible appetite
Prudence
Justice
Courage
Temperance
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Prudence Wisdom. Knowing what is the morally
right choice to make. The ability to apply moral
principles to concrete situations. Justice
Rendering to another his due. The parts of
justice are Piety renders due honor to
parents. Religion renders due honor to
God. Observance renders due honor to those in
public office. General Justice renders due honor
to the civil community as a whole (the state).
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Fortitude The virtue that moderates the emotions
of fear and daring.

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This is not fortitude
This is Daring.
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Temperance The virtue that moderates the
pleasures of touch (the pleasures of eating,
drinking, and sexual activity).
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This is not temperance, but gluttony.
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According to Aristotle, happiness is goodness or
virtue. If a person has cultivated the virtues
of Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance,
such a person is good. And a good person is a
happy person.
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Why is this more in accordance with the facts?
Its not having a wife/husband, children, house,
and a good job that will make one happy, since
many who have such things remain unhappy.
Only a virtuous person will be able to be a good
husband/wife, a good parent, and a person
committed to the good of the state.
It isnt doing what you want that renders one
happy, but being good or virtuous, that is,
having good character.
It is impossible for a virtuous person
(character) to be unhappy
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Secondary Instances of the Kalon
The good life also includes secondary aspects
that add to the happy life. They do not
constitute the happy life, but they add to it.
Many people today confuse the secondary instances
of the Kalon with the primary. Happiness is
found in virtue, not in these secondary instances.
See Next Slide
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Friendship and Cooperation with Others
Pleasure
Good Health and Appearance
Respectable Family Origin
Proper Nourishment and Sustenance
Full Life Span
Leisure, good fortune Sufficient wealth
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What does good character look like?
I have a dream that my four children will one day
live in a nation where they will not be judged by
the color of their skin but by the content of
their character.
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What does good character look like?
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What does good character look like?