What I expect to learn:
I want to know what Happiness is according to Aristotle and why did he partnered it with virtue. How does this two go along? What can Aristotle say about virtue that in can be used with happiness?
Quote:
“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. Whether it be reason or something else that is the element which is thought to be our natural ruler.”
Happiness if defined today would mean a gradual release of hormones wherein it triggers you to have a feeling of enlightenment. Or according to this article: http://www.yuksel.org/e/philosophy/happiness.htm Happiness defined today is “The permanent happiness is the product of permanent hormones that paints our subconscious. Those hormones are released according to our mental interpretation of three intervals: our past memories, current perception, and expectations. A person is perpetually happy if his brain produces joyful hormones for this three intervals. The importance of those three intervals differs from time to time, person to person. Nevertheless, the crucial one is the future. Our expectations or worries about the future has an overriding impact in our state of happiness.” as to so the meaning of happiness to Aristotle in the ancient context is that we should be all that we can or let you full potential come to surface and nourish our self. So that we can show that we are complete or be one with our inner self. This could also help us achieved balance to ourselves and create a harmony that no other thing can give. And if we compare as to the modern definition of happiness with the ancient this would come to a crossroad wherein the ancient meaning mixed with virtue should tell us that balance or moderation are needed to attain such happiness in the past context. But as to now given all the developments we are the victims of our own greed and given us a temporary happiness and not what the people who lived with virtue and celebrated happiness in the past. In this review Aristotle described the different emotions or feelings one felt and balanced it with another emotion to show that what one truly feels. He shown that happiness can either be felt or even not felt at all by just being into oneself or contentment.
What I’ve learned:
I’ve learned that happiness shouldn’t always be as to enrich oneself with the material things around us but as to discover oneself and nourish it furthermore as to become a living model. But we should also be modest with our enrichment of oneself so that it would have balance and wouldn’t result into greed.
Integrative Questions:
1. Define happiness in the ancient context?
2. How can one be sure that the happiness he felt is true happiness?
3. Why do Aristotle consider virtue as a moulder of one’s action to become happy?
