CBU Ethics 1pm

The Ethics Of Happiness




Aristotle describes happiness as being pursed for its own sake, not just for the sake of something else. Aristotle goes on to say that happiness cannot be pleasure or honor and personally I disagree with his statement. However, I disagree with Aristotle in three different arguments. First, I believe that happiness in its own right relies on how well you live your life daily with every choice and decision you make. For example If one was to make the decision of not doing any homework that was due the next day,  the long term effect of not doing that one assignment could possibly hurt your grade in a certain class. And eventually from a declining grade your level of content happiness could certainly be possibly damaged.

And second, we all look to try and find our unique purpose in this lifetime, but I feel that you cannot reach your full potential without your level of happiness being at its peak. Unlike Aristotle in my opinion morals equals happiness, simply because without having a moral sense of background knowledge to help structure and set up your life it is impossible to achieve happiness as well as your overall divine purpose.

And third, feelings like pleasure and honor can possibly be what we are looking to mostly achieve throughout our life’s goals. I have a friend who lives and dreams to become a nurse, and she will not be satisfied until she becomes a nurse. I’ve first handily seen her struggle and fight just to keep that dream alive and achieve that goal of being the best nurse she can be. So I believe that pleasure and honor can be happiness as long as it’s a long standing fight and achievement to achieve something.

True happiness in the end rest on the shoulders of the ones who are willing to go out and achieve what they want throughout life by their decision making.