Aristotle On Happiness

Historically, happiness is always a never-to-be-evaded problem. In the past, many philosophers had research on this theme, Aristotle is one of the most influential one. This paper mainly devotes to comb the theory about happiness of Aristotle, including the definitions of happiness,the contents of happiness,the realization of happiness and the controversy of the two kinds happiness.First of all, this paper analyzes Aristotle's definitions of happiness. In the ancient Greek world, happiness is related with good, in Ethica Nicomachea, Aristotle defined happiness as"the highest good", from this aspect, his argument is similar to other philosophers in ancient Greek on happiness, but Aristotle thought that there is no real significance to define happiness as the supreme good, they are just synonym, he then defined happiness as"activities in line with the reality of virtue,"a man of virtue is good and it makes him realize practical activities. Because his ethics and politics are complementary, people not only are social and political animal in nature, but also the rational animal, what's more, happiness can be achieved in the city-state. In the Section X of Nicomachean Ethics, he finally proposed"meditation is the greatest happiness", and"activities in line with the other virtues is second,"he believed that meditation is the highest realization of activities, which is the most pleasant, most self-sufficient. The contemplative life comes down to a"God of life"which beyond the human's life.Aristotle believed that happiness contains joy , happiness is in line with the reality of moral activity, and activities are in line with the reality of virtue. So, happiness is the most joyful. In addition, Aristotle believed that"happiness also needs the external good."Because without those external means, it's impossible or very difficult to do a noble thing. He does not exclude the wealth, for personal happiness, wealth is the necessary and appropriate. Friend is the greatest external good, when a man of virtue who do good deeds, there must be a man who accept the virtue of charity, happiness need friendship, friendship is one of the most great need things in life, in the realization of activities, it can promote human itself perfect, friendship is necessary for happiness, We all need friends whenever we are in good or bad luck. Other good are just the external means to achieve happiness, friendship is intrinsic to a happy life and it is the end itself, which is worthy of desired, and he took friendship as the connecting link between intellectual virtue and ethical virtue, it is a kind of"special virtue", which is the virtue that guides the individual to pursue practical wisdom and pursue the implementation of the activities of perfect moral virtues.Aristotle believed that happiness could be achieved. First, through the cultivation of virtue, happiness is inseparable from virtue and the activity is in line with the reality of virtue, to achieve happiness, people should be of virtue and do good deeds, and virtue is the foundation of happiness. How can civil people be of virtue? Aristotle thought that three main reasons are as follows: the human talent, acquired habits, and the inherent rationality. Aristotle believed that only these three factors achieve harmony, can people achieve the highest purpose in life. He emphasize on the city education, especially on the education of soul. What kind of virtue is best? Aristotle considered that the realization of happiness in the city can not be separated from justice and law, justice is an important role in his ethics, it belongs to the virtues of social groups, which is the cornerstone of human social life and the most complete virtue. This is the assurance and infrastructure to make citizen live a good life. There have been some controversies over Aristotle's theory of happiness in educational circles, the most important dispute is about Aristotle's concept of two kinds happiness, which is classified to intellectualism and inclusive notion. Mr. Yu Jiyuan thought that Aristotle's happiness view is a hierarchical concept, I agree with this view, and attempt to explain this view.