Aristotle made it very clear as to what the path to virtuosity is. First and foremost we must acknowledge and recognize what wrong is and stay clear of it. Without having full knowledge of what those wrongs are we would not know how to avoid them or where we should aim. Through practicing virtuous and just acts we shall perfect them and they will become second nature. For the true virtuous man is aware of the "extremes and the defects" that befall man. It is an uncompromising state of mind that and is the most difficult to achieve but will lead to a calm and satisfying being. We are not perfect being and far from being God like but the through the pursuit of avoiding "excess and defect" we are able to recognize and acknowledge what is virtuous. We must choose our acts and how we carry them out with the utmost precision and we must allow for situations and our approaches to vary without altering what our hearts disclose. For in engaging in just acts and perceiving how and when they should be carried out we will perfect our path towards the gift of living such a life. Anything worth having takes hard work and dedication and you shall reap the fruits of your labor. We must not allow for the things we know to avoid not to permeate our hearts. The virtuous man will always detect that which will attempt to alter their actions and reject it instinctively.
There are four kinds of life pursuits or happiness in life which is honor, wealth, contemplation, and pleasure. Aristotle stated that contemplation is the best life because it leads to the best and most happiness. Contemplation gives us the pleasure in life that is continuous. It does not only lead to the highest activity but also the highest objects. This type of happiness aims towards its goal and nothing else. Contemplation is the highest happiness and is also known as philosophical wisdom. Virtuous character and philosophical wisdom put together is happiness. This type of happiness is also hard to achieve. Contemplation is involved with scientific understanding. Whatever you do in life, you will aim for this type of pleasure. I believe that everyone has their own kind of happiness and pleasure. Contemplation may be one of the best form of pleasure but everyone has different needs and goals in life.
According to Aristotle, the contemplative life is the best life. I strongly agree with this belief because one should always do something they are passionate about and not just for the consequence of that action. This contemplative life is in my opinion the surpreme end and can bring ultimate happiness in one's life.This life can also guide us towards a life of virtuosity. However I do believe there is a gray area between the contemplative life and the life of pleasure. I say this because one might find pleasure and a sense of relaxation in gaining knowledge rather than having pleasure in materialistic things. This contemplative is in fact the best and most pleasurable life to live. It may sometimes garantee happiness in one's life however this also depends on one's individual goals in life.
Aristotle declares that happiness must be desirable in itself and not for the sake of something else. Happiness never falls short, because it is self-sufficient. Then he goes on to say that we as human beings, choose everything for the sake of something else, except for happiness. Happiness is our most divine element, and the activity that coincides with happiness is contemplativeness. The contemplative life is the best life because it is the most constant and we contemplate the truth more continuously than anything else. Self-sufficiency belongs to contemplative activity, which leads to the philosopher who is self-sufficient because he only needs himself to carry out his virtue of wisdom; therefore he lives the contemplative life: the best life. We need not to desire the aims of our activities, but we need reason, which is contemplative and the feature of the happiest life. Our quest is to make ourselves ‘immortal’ to be the best man, and man is reason. Aristotle even says that when taking activity away from any human, they are only left to contemplate, and God must be contemplative, therefore this is the nature of happiness. For the purpose of contemplation, nature is not self-sufficient and we need some external goods, but not excess, “For the life of the man who is active in accordance with virtue will be happy.” Although I do believe this all to be true in theory, especially for someone easily persuaded like myself who is extremely new to the study of philosophy, we all must consider that this is entirely coming from Aristotle, and this may be somewhat bias. For a figure as well known and studied as Aristotle to place the happiest life among the philosophers, is somewhat shady and premeditated with an advantage on his side. The Nichomachean Ethics were either edited by or dedicated to Aristotle’s son, Nichomachean, which can draw a minimum of two conclusions: firstly being that Aristotle wanted his son to live and continue to study his fathers lectures “if anything has been said well in detail by earlier thinkers, let us try to review it,” and secondly that Nichomachean wanted his father to be remembered and favored, so through editing Aristotle’s work, also included that sentence I quoted from the very last paragraph. Aristotle continued to examine the lives of others, and questioned his surroundings but what about his own life? What about the man behind these words: was he noble, just, wise…happy?
I can agree that a contemplative life is the best type of life to live. I believe that in any of the other two types you have to be at a contemplative state of mind. When in pursuit of pleasure you also need to have the knowledge on how to get the resources that will help you obtain those pleasures and to have that knowledge you you must be contemplative. The advantages of living a contemplative life are the enhancements it gives your moral and especially intellectual virtues. As Aristotle claimed your intellectual type of virtue is born and grows through time and experience. There's no better place for experience and intellect as well as morals than in a life that's contemplative.
In book X, Eudoxus argues that pleasure is the supreme good because we all desire it and in the end, itself. But the Plato argues that there are also bad pleasure therefore it cannot be the supreme good. And that there are also pleasure that we desire without it necessarily being pleasant. Therefore concluding that pleasure cannot be the supreme good. But on the other hand, happiness is an activity that serves as an end in itself, which is also our highest goal in life. Happiness in itself can be broken down into four different forms. But the highest kind we desire is contemplation, an activity of our highest rational faculties. It is said that only God(s) can spend their whole entire lifetime occupied with nothing but contemplation. Happiness is learned. Happiness is sufficient to leading a good life, but words alone is not enough to convince people to be and do good. In order for people to learn to be good they need to be educated the right way. But what about those who even after being educated does bad? Does that mean that people should take responsibility for not just them but everyone around them?
Aristotle uses creative points to support contemplative is the best lifestyle. I strongly agree with Aristotle analysis that a happy person will be engaged in virtuous actions as well as contemplation; however if a person is happy and is most noble can someone else do a noble act and not mean it be happy? Aristotle also expresses the definition of happiness but looks over the emotion joy. Joy is what we look for in a day rather then happiness for the rest of our life. Aristotle arguments were vague in my opinion because if we pursue happiness what happen if we witness a love ones death? We cant pursue happiness if what made us happy is gone. Thus, making happiness not the ultimate ending in all cases.
Why is a contemplative life the best life? I don't think it is, and I don't think Aristotle proved that it is. He goes to great lengths trying to prove this point, but does he? I don't think so. The argument is built, one point upon another, like stones stacked up to build a wall. But as I read, I found numerous problems with the points he attempts to make. Therefore, I feel, he invalidates what follows next, as he did not make a good basis for he argument. Here are some examples of things that I simply could not agree with, and therefore, could not follow his argument to the end:
1. "As activities are different, then, so are the corresponding pleasures. Now sight is superior to touch in purity, and hearing and smell to taste; the pleasures, therefore, are similarly superior, and those of thought superior to these, and within each of the two kinds some are superior to others." How is this justified? That sight is superior to touch, hearing and smell to taste? This is based on nothing, and is just mentioned to develop the point he is laboring to justify later. Why is thought superior? Superior to what? Action? How could it be? Can we exist in thought alone? Can we derive nourishment from thought? No.
2. "Whether, then, the perfect and supremely happy man has one or more activities, the pleasures that perfect these will be said in the strict sense to be pleasures proper to man, and the rest will be so in a secondary and fractional way, as are the activities." Again, an unfounded argument that is here only to serve his purpose. Why are the pleasures 'proper to man' considered secondary to those in us that are of an animalistic nature? Does he really want me to agree that the pleasure of thinking is superior to the pleasure of having sex? I'm sorry, but Aristotle must have been missing something along the way. Maybe he considered it superior because he spent a lot more time doing one that the other, and needs to validate his life and the way he decided to live it.
3. "Happiness, therefore, does not lie in amusement; it would, indeed, be strange if the end were amusement, and one were to take trouble and suffer hardship all one's life in order to amuse oneself. For, in a word, everything that we choose we choose for the sake of something else-except happiness, which is an end." Sure it does. That's all I'm going to say about that one. When I am amused, I am happy. Again, I don't agree that man has some higher purpose to be fulfilled. There is NO telos, or purpose, other than to survive. Survival, that's the name of the game. Don't dress it up. And in that sense, happiness is a means to making survival more bearable. And in that sense, survival is the final end, and the greatest good, not happiness, because happiness, therefore, using Aristotle's model for argument, is being used by survival to enhance it and make it better, and therefore, cannot be the the final end. to be continued....
4."If happiness is activity in accordance with virtue, it is reasonable that it should be in accordance with the highest virtue; and this will be that of the best thing in us" Why must happiness be in accordance with virtue? There are plenty of nasty people out there taking great pleasure in the nasty things they do. I simply do not agree with Aristotle basic view of humanity as this reflection of the god-like, and therefore separated from our animalistic nature. Sure, as an ideal, it is nice, but in reality, this definition of happiness is just garbage.
And finally: 5."This is indicated, too, by the fact that the other animals have no share in happiness, being completely deprived of such activity. For while the whole life of the gods is blessed, and that of men too in so far as some likeness of such activity belongs to them, none of the other animals is happy, since they in no way share in contemplation. Happiness extends, then, just so far as contemplation does, and those to whom contemplation more fully belongs are more truly happy, not as a mere concomitant but in virtue of the contemplation; for this is in itself precious. Happiness, therefore, must be some form of contemplation" Way to go Aristotle. You did it. You made sense out of non-sense. You pull us out of the darkness of ignorance and, wait a minute... No. No you didn't. This is total B.S.
Ok, just so we can be clear here, I do understand his point. I just absolutely disagree with him. According to Aristotle, man is unlike animals in his capacity to think and reason. A creatures purpose in life is to do what is specific to them. As thinking sets us apart from the other animals, that is our duty to perform, and as he elaborates, hopefully, 'in accordance with virtue.' Also animals do not share in happiness. So happiness, being something that is only experienced by humans, must be contemplation, or thinking, as that too is only found in and experienced by humans. My point rebuttal is as follows: 1. Man is an animal. Our consciousness is a part of our mind, not of our soul, which does not exist. 2. Animals can feel happiness. 3. Survival is purpose of life, and happiness is a tool used to make survival more bearable. 4. Happiness, therefore, cannot be the greatest good or final end, as it is used by survival as a means of betterment. 5. Contemplation, is also a tool for survival, and a means to an end, and therefore, not the best life, but a tool to live the best life.
According to Book X, contemplation is the best life because it is unlike any other activities a person can do. A person is familiar and usually reliant on moral virtues to live their lives but the activity of contemplation can only be performed by a divine being. Contemplation is spending time learning about happiness, rather than deciding upon ourselves that a certain thing is happiness. We are sort of taught that being good will make us happy but what is good depends on the person. It is unrealistic to expect people to be virtuous because being virtuous is a perfect concept. It lacks flaws when people have them.
I agree with Aristotle, “Perfect happiness is a contemplative activity”. In book one, Aristotle describes happiness as a man’s function in life. In book X, Aristotle describes a contemplative life as the perfect virtue, and having a perfect virtue would lead to a happy life. . Since contemplation is the most continuous and highest form of activity, it will be the most pleasant of the activities. It will be the most self-sufficient. Aristotle also says “The gods enjoy supreme happiness, and that they must find this supreme happiness in contemplation”. The gods will take pleasure in the man most akin to themselves: therefore, the wise man will be the most beloved of the gods, and by implication, he will also be the happiest.
I very must disagree with Aristotle's belief that a virtuous and happy life is a life of contemplation and only this way of life is the ultimate and the best way of life as described in Book X. Aristotle suggests that happiness which coincides with contemplativeness is active which makes it an activity towards virtuous and good living. He backed up his idea behind why he believe a contemplative life is the best life by saying that it above everything else is constant. Self-sufficiency is a major factor of contemplative activity and Philosophers are considered to be self-sufficient because they are intellectual and wise. I think his reasonings are bias only because he himself is a philosopher. This takes us back to Book I where the idea of ones happiness relies on ones own perception of what his idea of happiness is. Not all mankind share the same idea of what happiness is.
Aristotle states that the contemplative life is the best way to go because not only is philosophical, virtuos wisdom and happiness but because is the life style that is continuos. in this lifestyle you dont need as much goods as in just a pleasurable and happy life, things are not needed in abundace, only the necessary to live is what you posses. living a contemplative life is basically a task in human nature which few look up to, because they instead desire pleasures and goods thinking that this would be their absloute happiness when is not; they do not follow the contemplative life because they can not live without their external goods and be happy with themself if they was to have few goods to live. aristotle says that those who follow a contemplative life are the dearest to the gods;he asumes that this life belongs to the philosophers, therefore i can say that no other type of life is dearest to the gods. From the reading this would be because those whose desires and pocessions are happyness are judge from their external goods not from their internal possesion which in the philosophers they posses internal wisdom and happiness like the ones who persive a contemplative life.
contemplation exhibit in a lifestyle according to aristotle is the best version of life because it gives you a more vivid sense of awareness in yourself it provides one being with more apperciation for things that are not valued but things that are priceless like knowldge and wisdom he states it give you , in my opinion , more of a wealth than material things that fade and diminish over time.giving you a temporary high or satisfaction . contemplation he states is the perfect happiness ,happiness which seems to be mans function.this i agree with because like all man alike we do thing we find intrigue and desire in we radiate towards thing we like which is true ,however what makes one exhibit this contemplative happiness is what he finds intrigue and desire in so to some having that materialistic thing might be their way of happiness.so it really depends on man himself really what he considers contemplative.
according to book x life and happiness itself is an activity and it has its own movement. human can not be in constant movement therefore; also their happiness is not constant. for that by living contemplative life and practice yourself into happiness by the most hard practice of the state of character, you can find the virtue and maintain your happiness. maybe direct pleasure is not in this kind of life and we are always attempted to it and this is hard to fight, but there is a more stable pleasure out of happiness found in the virtue practice which is always found in what is harder to do.
In book ten, Artistotle explains why the contemplative life is the best life. Throughout life, one has only their body and mind that will travel with them throughout their entire lives. External factors such as friends, belongings and material pleasures will ebb and flow as a tide does. The only way to remain truly happy throughout your life is to live a life of contemplation, that is not to be isolated and selfish, but to practice intellectual and spiritual disciplines. Education and philosophy rely on the practicing and honing of ones mind and soul, and that is what the contemplative life entails. One who bases their life upon material objects will find that their state of being will depend on factors out of their control, while the contemplative person will always have their mind to take refuge in.
Aristotle is stating that a contemplative life is the best way to live. He believes that if you do what makes you happy then you are living life. He argues that people should not be doing things because of the consequence or out come of it, but because of the inner feeling that they get from doing it. I personally believe that the contemplative life is the best life because if we all were to live life and do things that made us happy, then we wouldn’t be suffering as much as we do. We will care more about others instead of wanting everything for ourselves. If we were to take a look around and actually care about others, we will unite as a whole and get good things done for others so people wont have to suffer for the wrong doing of others.
Aristotle made it very clear as to what the path to virtuosity is. First and foremost we must acknowledge and recognize what wrong is and stay clear of it. Without having full knowledge of what those wrongs are we would not know how to avoid them or where we should aim. Through practicing virtuous and just acts we shall perfect them and they will become second nature. For the true virtuous man is aware of the "extremes and the defects" that befall man. It is an uncompromising state of mind that and is the most difficult to achieve but will lead to a calm and satisfying being. We are not perfect being and far from being God like but the through the pursuit of avoiding "excess and defect" we are able to recognize and acknowledge what is virtuous. We must choose our acts and how we carry them out with the utmost precision and we must allow for situations and our approaches to vary without altering what our hearts disclose. For in engaging in just acts and perceiving how and when they should be carried out we will perfect our path towards the gift of living such a life. Anything worth having takes hard work and dedication and you shall reap the fruits of your labor. We must not allow for the things we know to avoid not to permeate our hearts. The virtuous man will always detect that which will attempt to alter their actions and reject it instinctively.
ReplyDeleteThere are four kinds of life pursuits or happiness in life which is honor, wealth, contemplation, and pleasure. Aristotle stated that contemplation is the best life because it leads to the best and most happiness. Contemplation gives us the pleasure in life that is continuous. It does not only lead to the highest activity but also the highest objects. This type of happiness aims towards its goal and nothing else. Contemplation is the highest happiness and is also known as philosophical wisdom. Virtuous character and philosophical wisdom put together is happiness. This type of happiness is also hard to achieve. Contemplation is involved with scientific understanding. Whatever you do in life, you will aim for this type of pleasure. I believe that everyone has their own kind of happiness and pleasure. Contemplation may be one of the best form of pleasure but everyone has different needs and goals in life.
ReplyDeleteSheena Lambert
ReplyDeleteAccording to Aristotle, the contemplative life is the best life. I strongly agree with this belief because one should always do something they are passionate about and not just for the consequence of that action. This contemplative life is in my opinion the surpreme end and can bring ultimate happiness in one's life.This life can also guide us towards a life of virtuosity. However I do believe there is a gray area between the contemplative life and the life of pleasure. I say this because one might find pleasure and a sense of relaxation in gaining knowledge rather than having pleasure in materialistic things. This contemplative is in fact the best and most pleasurable life to live. It may sometimes garantee happiness in one's life however this also depends on one's individual goals in life.
Jennifer Bacigalupo
ReplyDeleteAristotle declares that happiness must be desirable in itself and not for the sake of something else. Happiness never falls short, because it is self-sufficient. Then he goes on to say that we as human beings, choose everything for the sake of something else, except for happiness. Happiness is our most divine element, and the activity that coincides with happiness is contemplativeness. The contemplative life is the best life because it is the most constant and we contemplate the truth more continuously than anything else. Self-sufficiency belongs to contemplative activity, which leads to the philosopher who is self-sufficient because he only needs himself to carry out his virtue of wisdom; therefore he lives the contemplative life: the best life. We need not to desire the aims of our activities, but we need reason, which is contemplative and the feature of the happiest life. Our quest is to make ourselves ‘immortal’ to be the best man, and man is reason. Aristotle even says that when taking activity away from any human, they are only left to contemplate, and God must be contemplative, therefore this is the nature of happiness. For the purpose of contemplation, nature is not self-sufficient and we need some external goods, but not excess, “For the life of the man who is active in accordance with virtue will be happy.” Although I do believe this all to be true in theory, especially for someone easily persuaded like myself who is extremely new to the study of philosophy, we all must consider that this is entirely coming from Aristotle, and this may be somewhat bias. For a figure as well known and studied as Aristotle to place the happiest life among the philosophers, is somewhat shady and premeditated with an advantage on his side. The Nichomachean Ethics were either edited by or dedicated to Aristotle’s son, Nichomachean, which can draw a minimum of two conclusions: firstly being that Aristotle wanted his son to live and continue to study his fathers lectures “if anything has been said well in detail by earlier thinkers, let us try to review it,” and secondly that Nichomachean wanted his father to be remembered and favored, so through editing Aristotle’s work, also included that sentence I quoted from the very last paragraph. Aristotle continued to examine the lives of others, and questioned his surroundings but what about his own life? What about the man behind these words: was he noble, just, wise…happy?
Ruby Rios
ReplyDeleteI can agree that a contemplative life is the best type of life to live. I believe that in any of the other two types you have to be at a contemplative state of mind. When in pursuit of pleasure you also need to have the knowledge on how to get the resources that will help you obtain those pleasures and to have that knowledge you you must be contemplative.
The advantages of living a contemplative life are the enhancements it gives your moral and especially intellectual virtues. As Aristotle claimed your intellectual type of virtue is born and grows through time and experience. There's no better place for experience and intellect as well as morals than in a life that's contemplative.
In book X, Eudoxus argues that pleasure is the supreme good because we all desire it and in the end, itself. But the Plato argues that there are also bad pleasure therefore it cannot be the supreme good. And that there are also pleasure that we desire without it necessarily being pleasant. Therefore concluding that pleasure cannot be the supreme good. But on the other hand, happiness is an activity that serves as an end in itself, which is also our highest goal in life. Happiness in itself can be broken down into four different forms. But the highest kind we desire is contemplation, an activity of our highest rational faculties. It is said that only God(s) can spend their whole entire lifetime occupied with nothing but contemplation. Happiness is learned. Happiness is sufficient to leading a good life, but words alone is not enough to convince people to be and do good. In order for people to learn to be good they need to be educated the right way. But what about those who even after being educated does bad? Does that mean that people should take responsibility for not just them but everyone around them?
ReplyDeletePreston Charles
ReplyDeleteMarch 9th 2011
Aristotle uses creative points to support contemplative is the best lifestyle. I strongly agree with Aristotle analysis that a happy person will be engaged in virtuous actions as well as contemplation; however if a person is happy and is most noble can someone else do a noble act and not mean it be happy? Aristotle also expresses the definition of happiness but looks over the emotion joy. Joy is what we look for in a day rather then happiness for the rest of our life. Aristotle arguments were vague in my opinion because if we pursue happiness what happen if we witness a love ones death? We cant pursue happiness if what made us happy is gone. Thus, making happiness not the ultimate ending in all cases.
Why is a contemplative life the best life? I don't think it is, and I don't think Aristotle proved that it is. He goes to great lengths trying to prove this point, but does he? I don't think so. The argument is built, one point upon another, like stones stacked up to build a wall. But as I read, I found numerous problems with the points he attempts to make. Therefore, I feel, he invalidates what follows next, as he did not make a good basis for he argument. Here are some examples of things that I simply could not agree with, and therefore, could not follow his argument to the end:
ReplyDelete1. "As activities are different, then, so are the corresponding pleasures. Now sight is superior to touch in purity, and hearing and smell to taste; the pleasures, therefore, are similarly superior, and those of thought superior to these, and within each of the two kinds some are superior to others."
How is this justified? That sight is superior to touch, hearing and smell to taste? This is based on nothing, and is just mentioned to develop the point he is laboring to justify later. Why is thought superior? Superior to what? Action? How could it be? Can we exist in thought alone? Can we derive nourishment from thought? No.
2. "Whether, then, the perfect and supremely happy man has one or more activities, the pleasures that perfect these will be said in the strict sense to be pleasures proper to man, and the rest will be so in a secondary and fractional way, as are the activities."
Again, an unfounded argument that is here only to serve his purpose. Why are the pleasures 'proper to man' considered secondary to those in us that are of an animalistic nature? Does he really want me to agree that the pleasure of thinking is superior to the pleasure of having sex? I'm sorry, but Aristotle must have been missing something along the way. Maybe he considered it superior because he spent a lot more time doing one that the other, and needs to validate his life and the way he decided to live it.
3. "Happiness, therefore, does not lie in amusement; it would, indeed, be strange if the end were amusement, and one were to take trouble and suffer hardship all one's life in order to amuse oneself. For, in a word, everything that we choose we choose for the sake of something else-except happiness, which is an end."
Sure it does. That's all I'm going to say about that one. When I am amused, I am happy. Again, I don't agree that man has some higher purpose to be fulfilled. There is NO telos, or purpose, other than to survive. Survival, that's the name of the game. Don't dress it up. And in that sense, happiness is a means to making survival more bearable. And in that sense, survival is the final end, and the greatest good, not happiness, because happiness, therefore, using Aristotle's model for argument, is being used by survival to enhance it and make it better, and therefore, cannot be the the final end.
to be continued....
4."If happiness is activity in accordance with virtue, it is reasonable that it should be in accordance with the highest virtue; and this will be that of the best thing in us"
ReplyDeleteWhy must happiness be in accordance with virtue? There are plenty of nasty people out there taking great pleasure in the nasty things they do. I simply do not agree with Aristotle basic view of humanity as this reflection of the god-like, and therefore separated from our animalistic nature. Sure, as an ideal, it is nice, but in reality, this definition of happiness is just garbage.
And finally:
5."This is indicated, too, by the fact that the other animals have no share in happiness, being completely deprived of such activity. For while the whole life of the gods is blessed, and that of men too in so far as some likeness of such activity belongs to them, none of the other animals is happy, since they in no way share in contemplation. Happiness extends, then, just so far as contemplation does, and those to whom contemplation more fully belongs are more truly happy, not as a mere concomitant but in virtue of the contemplation; for this is in itself precious. Happiness, therefore, must be some form of contemplation"
Way to go Aristotle. You did it. You made sense out of non-sense. You pull us out of the darkness of ignorance and, wait a minute... No. No you didn't. This is total B.S.
Ok, just so we can be clear here, I do understand his point. I just absolutely disagree with him.
According to Aristotle, man is unlike animals in his capacity to think and reason. A creatures purpose in life is to do what is specific to them. As thinking sets us apart from the other animals, that is our duty to perform, and as he elaborates, hopefully, 'in accordance with virtue.' Also animals do not share in happiness. So happiness, being something that is only experienced by humans, must be contemplation, or thinking, as that too is only found in and experienced by humans.
My point rebuttal is as follows:
1. Man is an animal. Our consciousness is a part of our mind, not of our soul, which does not exist.
2. Animals can feel happiness.
3. Survival is purpose of life, and happiness is a tool used to make survival more bearable.
4. Happiness, therefore, cannot be the greatest good or final end, as it is used by survival as a means of betterment.
5. Contemplation, is also a tool for survival, and a means to an end, and therefore, not the best life, but a tool to live the best life.
According to Book X, contemplation is the best life because it is unlike any other activities a person can do. A person is familiar and usually reliant on moral virtues to live their lives but the activity of contemplation can only be performed by a divine being. Contemplation is spending time learning about happiness, rather than deciding upon ourselves that a certain thing is happiness. We are sort of taught that being good will make us happy but what is good depends on the person. It is unrealistic to expect people to be virtuous because being virtuous is a perfect concept. It lacks flaws when people have them.
ReplyDeleteBianca Gayle
ReplyDeleteI agree with Aristotle, “Perfect happiness is a contemplative activity”. In book one, Aristotle describes happiness as a man’s function in life. In book X, Aristotle describes a contemplative life as the perfect virtue, and having a perfect virtue would lead to a happy life. . Since contemplation is the most continuous and highest form of activity, it will be the most pleasant of the activities. It will be the most self-sufficient. Aristotle also says “The gods enjoy supreme happiness, and that they must find this supreme happiness in contemplation”. The gods will take pleasure in the man most akin to themselves: therefore, the wise man will be the most beloved of the gods, and by implication, he will also be the happiest.
Shaunelle Hall
ReplyDelete03/10/11
I very must disagree with Aristotle's belief that a virtuous and happy life is a life of contemplation and only this way of life is the ultimate and the best way of life as described in Book X. Aristotle suggests that happiness which coincides with contemplativeness is active which makes it an activity towards virtuous and good living. He backed up his idea behind why he believe a contemplative life is the best life by saying that it above everything else is constant. Self-sufficiency is a major factor of contemplative activity and Philosophers are considered to be self-sufficient because they are intellectual and wise. I think his reasonings are bias only because he himself is a philosopher. This takes us back to Book I where the idea of ones happiness relies on ones own perception of what his idea of happiness is. Not all mankind share the same idea of what happiness is.
Aristotle states that the contemplative life is the best way to go because not only is philosophical, virtuos wisdom and happiness but because is the life style that is continuos. in this lifestyle you dont need as much goods as in just a pleasurable and happy life, things are not needed in abundace, only the necessary to live is what you posses. living a contemplative life is basically a task in human nature which few look up to, because they instead desire pleasures and goods thinking that this would be their absloute happiness when is not; they do not follow the contemplative life because they can not live without their external goods and be happy with themself if they was to have few goods to live. aristotle says that those who follow a contemplative life are the dearest to the gods;he asumes that this life belongs to the philosophers, therefore i can say that no other type of life is dearest to the gods. From the reading this would be because those whose desires and pocessions are happyness are judge from their external goods not from their internal possesion which in the philosophers they posses internal wisdom and happiness like the ones who persive a contemplative life.
ReplyDeletecontemplation exhibit in a lifestyle according to aristotle is the best version of life because it gives you a more vivid sense of awareness in yourself it provides one being with more apperciation for things that are not valued but things that are priceless like knowldge and wisdom he states it give you , in my opinion , more of a wealth than material things that fade and diminish over time.giving you a temporary high or satisfaction . contemplation he states is the perfect happiness ,happiness which seems to be mans function.this i agree with because like all man alike we do thing we find intrigue and desire in we radiate towards thing we like which is true ,however what makes one exhibit this contemplative happiness is what he finds intrigue and desire in so to some having that materialistic thing might be their way of happiness.so it really depends on man himself really what he considers contemplative.
ReplyDeleteaccording to book x life and happiness itself is an activity and it has its own movement. human can not be in constant movement therefore; also their happiness is not constant. for that by living contemplative life and practice yourself into happiness by the most hard practice of the state of character, you can find the virtue and maintain your happiness. maybe direct pleasure is not in this kind of life and we are always attempted to it and this is hard to fight, but there is a more stable pleasure out of happiness found in the virtue practice which is always found in what is harder to do.
ReplyDeleteKyle Yanagihara
ReplyDeleteIn book ten, Artistotle explains why the contemplative life is the best life. Throughout life, one has only their body and mind that will travel with them throughout their entire lives. External factors such as friends, belongings and material pleasures will ebb and flow as a tide does. The only way to remain truly happy throughout your life is to live a life of contemplation, that is not to be isolated and selfish, but to practice intellectual and spiritual disciplines. Education and philosophy rely on the practicing and honing of ones mind and soul, and that is what the contemplative life entails. One who bases their life upon material objects will find that their state of being will depend on factors out of their control, while the contemplative person will always have their mind to take refuge in.
Aristotle is stating that a contemplative life is the best way to live. He believes that if you do what makes you happy then you are living life. He argues that people should not be doing things because of the consequence or out come of it, but because of the inner feeling that they get from doing it. I personally believe that the contemplative life is the best life because if we all were to live life and do things that made us happy, then we wouldn’t be suffering as much as we do. We will care more about others instead of wanting everything for ourselves. If we were to take a look around and actually care about others, we will unite as a whole and get good things done for others so people wont have to suffer for the wrong doing of others.
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