The Good Life

Prepared by: Kent E. Garcia, LPT

Subject Teacher
Nicomachean
Ethics
and Modern
Concepts
Aristotle
ancient Greek
philosopher

known for his

natural
philosophy. logic
and political
theory
More on Aristotle:
one of the greatest thinkers in the history of western science and
philosophy, making contributions to logic, metaphysics,
mathematics, physics, biology, botany, ethics, politics, agriculture,
medicine, dance and theatre.
first to classify areas of human knowledge into distinct disciplines
such as mathematics, biology, and ethics.
founder of the Lyceum, the first scientific institute, based in
Athens, Greece.
one of the strongest advocates of a liberal arts education, which
stresses the education of the whole person, including one's moral
character, rather than merely learning a set of skills.
Nicomachean Ethics 2:2
All human activities
aim at some good.
Every art and
human inquiry, and
similarly every
action and pursuit ,
is thought to aim at
some good; and for
this reason the good
has been rightly
declared as that at
which all things
aim.
What is meant by good life?

living in comfort and

luxury with few
problems or worries.
characterized by
happiness from living
and doing well
content
What is eudimonia?
came from the Greek word eu meaning
“good” and daimon meaning “spirit”.
refers to the good life marked by happiness
and excellence.
flourishing life filled with meaningful
endeavors that empower the human person to
be the best version of himself/herself.
Aristotle’s view of good life
the activity of the soul in accordance with
virtue.
o believed that good for humans is the
maximum realization of what was unique to
humans.
o the good for humans was to reason well.
o The task of reason was to teach humans
how to act virtuously, and the exercise
faculties in accordance with virtue.
Virtue/s
behavior showing high moral standards. "paragons of
virtue"
synonyms: goodness, virtuousness, righteousness,
morality, ethicalness, uprightness, upstandingness,
integrity, dignity, rectitude, honesty, honorableness,
honorability, honor, incorruptibility, probity,
propriety, decency, respectability, nobility, nobility of
soul/spirit, nobleness, worthiness, worth, good,
trustworthiness, meritoriousness, irreproachableness,
blamelessness, purity, pureness, lack of corruption,
merit; principles, high principles, ethics
"the simple virtue and integrity of peasant life"
Nicomachean Ethics 2:1
Virtue, then, being of two kinds,
intellectual and moral, intellectual virtue
in the main owes its birth and growth in
teaching ( for its reason it requires
experience and time). While moral virtue
comes about as a result of habit
The Virtues:
Intellectual virtue Moral virtue
theoretical wisdom controlled by practical
(thinking anf truth) wisdom (ability to make
practical wisdom right judgment)
understanding. owed its development to
Experience and time how one nurtured it as
are necessary habit.
requirements for the can be learned
development of
intellectual virtue
Happiness to Aristotle
"Happiness depends on ourselves.“
central purpose of human life and a goal in
itself.
depends on the cultivation of virtue.
a genuinely happy life required the fulfillment
of a broad range of conditions, including
physical as well as mental well-being.
Happiness as the Ultimate Purpose of
Human Existence
happiness is a final end or goal that
encompasses the totality of one's life.
It is not something that can be gained or
lost in a few hours, like pleasurable
sensations.
It is more like the ultimate value of your life
as lived up to this moment, measuring how
well you have lived up to your full potential
as a human being.
Science and Technology and Good
Life
S&T is also the movement towards good life.
S&T are one of the highest expressions of
human faculties.
S&T allow us to thrive and flourish if we desire
it.
S&T may corrupt a person
S&T with virtue can helpan individual to be
out of danger.
Why is it that everyone is in
the pursuit of the good life?
“Life is good! It is only our thoughts, choices and
actions towards the situations we meet in life each
moment of time that makes life look bad! The same bad
situation in life that makes one person think badly
inspires another to do a noble thing! The same good
situation in life that makes one person feel so good to
get into a bad situation inspires another person to create
another good situation because of the good situation. It
is all about thoughts, choices and actions!
Life is good! Live it well!”
— Ernest Agyemang Yeboah
 One must find the truth about what
the good is before one can even try to
locate that which is good.
Questions for Reflection
1. In your own opinion, what constitutes a
good life?
2. What does Aristotle say about the good
life? Does it still stand in the
contemporary world?
3. How is the progress in science and
technology a movement towards the good
life?
References:

https://www.quora.com/How-does-
Aristotle-argue-for-his-position-on-a-
meaningful-or-good-life
https://www.pursuit-of-
happiness.org/history-of-
happiness/aristotle/
Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics
◼ The good = what
all things aim at
◼ We study Ethics,
not merely to
know, but to
attain the good &
to live good lives
The Good for Man = Eudaimonia

◼ complete, sufficient
◼ a fulfilling human life
◼ human ergon = think
on/lead a good life
◼ = a teleological ethics
◼ Defn = “rational activity
with virtue”
– focused on the goal =
how to make my life
good/fulfilling?
Major Claims
◼ Ethics = quest for
the good
◼ The good =
happiness-in-
rational activity
◼ Possible to attain in
a life of virtuous
activities together
with friends
 Contrasting ethical theories
Ancient: Modern
◼ Relativism ◼ Relativism
◼ Universalism – Existentialism
– ‘Command’ theories (authenticity-ethics)
• Divine Command ◼ Universalism
• Polis laws – Deontology (Kant:
– Hedonism categorical imperative)
– Eudaimonist – Utilitarianism (Mill: the
• Socrates?/Stoics: greater good)
virtue alone =
happiness
• Callicles:
dominance = virtue
= happiness
 Virtue (arete)
Moral Stages:
◼ Virtues of character (moral ◼ Mature, rational person
virtues)
– Chooses own goals, values
– Courage – Moral + intellectual virtue
– Temperance ◼ Maturing self
– Justice – Obedient to moral guidance,
◼ Virtues of mind (intellectual sense of honor
virtues) – Moral-behavioral ‘virtues’
– Practical wisdom (phronesis) ◼ Immature ego
– Philosophical wisdom (sophia) – Acts on impulse/feelings
– Opposes morals
◼ Interpersonal virtue:
– Friendship (philia) ◼ Moral Ed changes:
• immature ego →
• moral self →
• rational person
Moral development

◼ Actions
– Voluntary vs. coerced,
done in ignorance
– Chosen
– → “habits of choice,”
character
◼ Virtue involves:
– Knowing the act
– Choosing it for its
own sake
– A consistent state of
character
Freedom and Responsibility (III.5)
◼ Aristotle:
• If you know the particulars and
• You are not coerced then
• You are responsible, even if you don’t
deliberately choose to do it.
◼ But if actions arise from character, and it from
how we are raised, are we really “free”?
◼ Aristotle’s reply:
– Either we are co-responsible
– Or, if not, we must still reward and punish
to bring out what is better
Definition of Moral Virtue (II.6)

◼ A habit or state of character that

expresses a choice
◼ Which finds a mean relative to us
◼ As determined by rational
principle, ie. guided by values a
morally wise person would see
are at stake
 The Doctrine of the Mean
◼ Virtue (of character)
involves striking a mean
between extremes of
action and passion.
◼ Excess: having too
much of something
◼ Deficiency: having too
little of something.
◼ The mean is not
mediocrity, but harmony
and balance.
 Deficiency VIRTUE Excess

Cowardice COURAGE Rashness

Self-indulgent TEMPERANCE Anhedonic

(drunken, glutton, (healthy moderation) (incapable of enjoying
promiscuous) pleasure)

Cheapness GENEROSITY Wastefulness

Self-Shame, Servility PROPER PRIDE Arrogance, Vanity

(low self-esteem) (& high ambition) (bloated self-esteem)

Exploitative JUSTICE (Altruistic)

(covetous, dominator) (fair-mindedness)
Virtue and Self-Control
◼ Aristotle contrasts:
– Self-controlled or continent people, who have
unruly desires but manage to control them,
guided by good judgment (right reason).
– Temperate people, whose reason and desires
have become harmonized—second-nature—
and choose that which is good for them.
– Weakness of will (akrasia) occurs when right-
thinking people cannot keep their desires
under control. (Discussed in Bk VII.)
Courage and Cowardice
◼ courage involves
mastering fear

◼ courage = willing to
give your life for the
good you value
◼ no freedom without
courage
 Temperance vs. Intemperance
◼ Temperate
• choose “mean”,
willingly limit your
pleasures
• enjoy temperance
◼ Self-indulgent
• E.g. drunkenness,
promiscuity
• virtue = freely act
within limits
• vice = “enslaving”
Justice and Fairness

Virtues of Justice =
• Obeying the Law
• Fairness = willingly
giving other his due
2 Forms of Justice
• Distributive
• Corrective
2 Norms of Justice
• Conventional
• Natural
 Distributive vs. Corrective Justice
◼ Distributive = ◼ Corrective =
giving or taking of restoration of
goods or evils ‘equality’* between
fairly to others, individuals where
i.e. according to
proportionality by one has wrongfully
merit*/desert injured the other

*what constitutes ‘merit’ may *here the differences in merit

vary with situation & call between the individuals is
for judgment, esp. where irrelevant; the ‘superior’ has
participants are ‘unequal’ no more right to harm the
in their situation ‘inferior’ than vice-versa
Conventional vs. Natural Justice
Conventional Right = Natural Right =
Justice according Justice according
to law or the to the laws/actions
prevailing norms that fulfill human
of the society* nature, relative* to
*These will be at least partly
wise judgment
in conformity to natural
right, but may be
distorted: e.g. laws under *These will reflect the ideal
conditions of tyranny or vision of a humanly fulfilling
oligarchy or communism society with a realistic
or other societies that do appraisal of what can best be
not value genuine merit attained at the time
 Sub-category of fairness: honesty
Virtue of Honesty =
• Obeying the rules of the game
• Fairness = willingly giving the
other (competitor) his due
Act of honesty
• Done consciously
• Choose for own sake
• Act of character
Relation to other virtues
• PRIDE: Self-respect, high-
mindedness, integrity
• PRACTICAL WISDOM: True v.
NOTE: honesty implies either false self-presentation (vs.
(i) other-directed sense of honor ‘cleverness’, self-deception)
& shame (pre-adult virtue) or (ii) • FRIENDSHIP with self, others
personal sense of honor & • HAPPINESS in genuine
principle (adult virtue) accomplishment
Virtues of the Mind
◼ Art e.g. sculptor, doctor ◼ Practical Wisdom
– Makes particular useful things
– They wouldn’t otherwise exist – Deliberative skill re:
◼ Science e.g. chemist means
– Deduces from necessary, – Right values (ends)
universal laws
– Not concerned with particular – Self-knowledge
things/events – Unity of Virtue
◼ Intuitive Reason =
– Realizes principles/facts are ◼ Theoretical Wisdom
‘ultimate’ – Logic, Physics, Ethics
– Recognizes principles in
practical situations – Vision of “God”
Moral Knowledge is like
Art (techne, craft) Science (episteme)
◼ Goal-oriented ◼ Truth-revealing
◼ Perception of, feel for ◼ Awareness of universal
the situation (nous) principles, human nature
◼ Brings about useful, ◼ Skill in deliberation and
noble particulars, which reasoning
otherwise don’t exist ◼ Involves knowledge of
◼ Grounded in desire, not self, others
cognition ◼ Particulars exemplify
◼ ‘Truth-in-action’ more universal values
than in logos
 Weakness of Will
◼ Socrates: “No one can know PARADOX:
the good and not choose it.” ◼ How can you
◼ Common view: “People can choose to do what
know what they should do, you know is not
but still choose not to do it.” good for you? Who
knows? Who is
choosing?
◼ Compare: how is
self-deception
possible?
 Aristotle’s Solution
“One can have general SOLUTION:
knowledge but, moved by ◼ vs. Socrates:
– ‘abstract knowledge’ is
passion, not apply it.” possible;
– ‘knowing’ is not = doing.
◼ PARADOXES: ◼ vs. Common sense:

– Chronic weak-willed – Cannot ‘know’ in situ and

still choose bad
do not “choose”
– ‘voluntary doing’ is not =
– Chronic weak-willed choosing
not = “one self” – Person can lack ‘moral
self-unity’
 What is Self-Love?
◼ Is it good or bad?
◼ Self-love based on
virtue is good
◼ We should love
ourselves, be
“caretakers” of our
virtue and well-being
(compare Apology 30b)
◼ Care of our psyche will
involve care of our
‘works’ (theoretical and
practical), but value
process/virtue over
outcome/success
 “Art” of Self-Care?
◼ Socratic theme
◼ Central value = integrity
◼ Self-friendship =
preserving ethical
balance in midst of
actions, emotions
◼ Phronesis “evaluates”
life’s opportunities with
– good reasoning
– right values (justice,
noble beauty)
– concept of ‘full life’
True Self-Love

◼ Self-care, self-
respect (proper pride)
◼ Having good goals
(wisdom)
◼ Sticking to goals
(courage, temperance)
◼ Acting to promote
flourishing in
yourself, others
(justice, friendship)
Friendship (filia)
◼ Friendships of
– utility
– pleasure
– virtue
◼ Friendship = bridges
egoism / altruism
◼ True friendship
– based in self-love
– “expands the self”
Is Altruism Possible?
ARISTOTLE
◼ Ethical egoism = seek ◼ Friendships: most
good for oneself. egoistic = based on
◼ Altruism = do good for pleasure/utility
another (for their sake) ◼ Perfect friendship
◼ Counterexamples: – Based on virtue
– mutual recognition
– sacrifice for child,
– Non-competitive
friend who betrays
– includes pleasure, utility
– Still do it? – Friend is “other self”
◼ Friendships = alliances – Self is “expanded self”
for mutual benefit or ◼ Friendship & Egoism
emotional attachments – bridges gap between
(temporary? long- egoism and altruism
lasting?) – Even “self-sufficient”
virtuous person needs
friends
The Good Life and Politics
◼ subjective vs. objective good
– pleasure/joyfulness vs.
happiness/flourishing
◼ 2 forms of “the good life”
– contemplative (theoria)
• Vision of God
• Perfect happiness
– active (praxis)
• Imperfect happiness
• Necessary & good
Aristotle’s Politics I

◼ rejects Republic as contrary

to “natural law” —humans
by nature desire/need:
– Family life
– Property of their own
– Share in governing
themselves (except for
“natural slaves”)
Aristotle’s Politics II:
rule by philosopher-kings impossible;
men need the rule of law

◼ GOOD GOVTS ◼ BAD GOVTS

– Constitutional – Tyranny = rule by
Monarchy fear (lawless)
– Constitutional – Oligarchy = govt
Aristocracy by the rich
– Constitutional – Democracy = rule
Republic; blends by working class
other forms (least bad)