On Aristotle's Eudemonia

In the living conditions of ancient Grecian polis, with the development from fairy religion to natural philosophy then to human concern, the ethical thought on eudemonia went on deepening from Solon to Plato and reached the top to Aristotle.Aristotle established a logically consistent system of eudemonism, with the understanding of human nature as the logical starting point. Using Aristotle's two judgments on human nature which is rational and political as a pathway, the paper leads to the systemic answer to eudemonia. When Aristotle said that contemplation was the most eudemonic life and self-sufficient, good life in the polis was the real eudemonia of human, a question we must face is the relation between the eudemonia of contemplation and the eudemonia of polis. On the basis of deep analysis on the relation between two judgments on human nature, intellectual virtue and moral virtue, a good people and a good citizen, the relation between the two judgments of eudemonia is explained. That eudemonia is an activity of soul in accordance with perfect virtue is just a tache which links two kinds of eudemonia. Their internal relation also shows the combination of idealism and realism.Aristotle consciously discussed eudemonia which was an essential question of his ethical system and a demand of living consciousness. Inheriting his predecessor's theoretical resource, he used human nature as the logical starting point and emphasized exterior good as well. But his eudemonism was not epicurean hedonism, because eudemonia was an activity. With a philosophical reflection, he established a harmonious and tensile system, sublimed the consumptive eudemonism to enjoyment of living significance and possession of life existence.Although Aristotle's eudemonia which used universal human nature as a logical starting point gets the challenge of modern society, it gives us a theoretical enlightenment not only to Chinese moral tradition. In such a multiplex society nowadays, eudemonia has become a universal topic. When we think what eudemonia is, how we get eudemonia and how eudemonia is possible, Aristotle's wisdom can give us a profound enlightening significance and help us come to some basal common idea.