Aristotle
Which kind of virtuous life is best, according to Aristotle, and what is his main reason for thinking so?
A good human life must be one that is excellent in reasoning, that is because theoretical reasoning makes humans more like the gods and less like the animals due to theoretical contemplation being so distinctive and pious to only humans.
Give an example of a life that Epicurus would think is pretty good, and Aristotle would think is not so good. Give an example of a life that Aristotle would think is pretty good, and Epicurus would think is not so good.
A happy merchant running his successful shop, however, does not pursue theoretical reasoning to a larger degree is probably a life Epicurus would agree with but Aristotle may not. A rocket scientist who is filled with stress and anxiety, however, is still developing a great sense of capacity for his theoretical reasoning is probably a life Aristotle may agree with but Epicurus may not.
What does human happiness primarily consist in, according to Aristotle?
According to Aristotle, human happiness primarily consists in virtue: The good life is the happy life, the happy life is the good life; the good life is the virtuous life, therefore, the happy life is also the virtuous life.
What is virtue, according to Aristotle?
According to Aristotle, virtue is excellence in reasoning.
Why, given the nature of humanity, must a good human life be one that is excellent in reasoning, according to Aristotle?
Because the essence of humanity is to be rational animal, then the good human life must be one that excels in all that consists in rationality which would be excellence in reasoning.
In what key respect do Aristotle and Epicurus disagree about the good life?
Epicurus believes that a life spent in theoretical reasoning is the best life because it is the most pleasurable compared to any other life, however, Aristotle thinks so because what a good life is excellence in reasoning and theoretical reasoning is the highest form of reasoning.
What is excellence in reasoning, according to Aristotle?
Excellence in reasoning is believing, doing, and feeling the right thing for the right reason.
Would Tolstoy accept Aristotle's conception of the best life? Why or why not?
He would not accept Aristotle's theory because the engagement of this theoretical thinking gave him more pain. The best life is not one of theoretical inquiry but one that is a religious life. A life of theoretical inquiry puts you in further pain and misery.
In what way does the hedonistic view of Mill incorporate ideas of Aristotle? In what way does Mill's view remain fundamentally hedonistic?
It is still true to him because he believes the only thing of value is pleasure, however, he thinks some higher pleasures have more value than others, such as theoretical reasoning.
Is excellence in reasoning alone sufficient for happiness, according to Aristotle? Why or why not?
No, it is not sufficient because you could be excellent in reasoning but be unhappy due to having great misfortune. A happy life is one that is excellent in reasoning and characterized by good fortune.
Aristotle's argument for his conception of a good human life depends on an analogy between tools and human lives. Why is this analogy problematic?
The analogy makes assumptions that could be rejected: Tools are made to serve a certain function, so it is only right that those tools effectively serve for that function; humans are not made to serve a function so saying that humans are made to be rational does not seem right.
In what key respect do Aristotle and Epicurus agree about the good life?
They agree that a life spent in theoretical reasoning is the best life.
