Chapter 6: Aristotle’s Ethics: the definition of happiness; virtues of character and of thought
Random number: 18
Every action has an end or a goal, and this end or goal is some good thing. However, actions and their ends are organized in a hierarchical manner; for some actions are subordinate to others. (e.g. The ruling craft, the craft of the pilot dictates the craft of the boatmaker) The ultimate end of our actions is the human good, for which it is pursued not for any other end, but for its own sake.
In the Nicomachean Ethics Book 1, Aristotle investigates several of the endoxa, or reputable opinions, that people have about what happiness is. For instance, he considers whether or not it is pleasure. He considers the idea that Happiness is based upon one's fortunes, but this doesn't seem quite right, because fortunes can fluctuate throughout one's lifetimes, whereas happiness is a lasting state that does not fluctuate much. Aristotle considers whether a person's happiness is found in that person's death, by considering the fortunes of his or her descendants; but this also seems ridiculous, because their descendents' fortunes may also fluctuate. Aristotle then defines Happiness as the exercising of virtues, and if there are multiple virtues, then it must be the exercising of the greatest virtue.
Aristotle claims then that the soul is consisted of two parts, one rational and one non-rational, the rational part of the soul has two parts, the scientific part and the calculative part, and that the non-rational part is further composed of two parts, the nutritive part and the appetitive part. Aristotle treats these partitions in the De Anima.
Aristotle now states that the non-rational part of the soul has a virtue, known as the virtues of character (e.g. courage, temperance, goodwill, ...) which are obtained when the non-rational part obeys the rational part of the soul. To develop the virtues of character, one needs only copy somebody who has the virtues of character around them, and after a while of faking it until you make it, you'll develop these characters for yourself. The virtues of character are characterized by the 'middle-point' rule; in that you should always aim to act between the two extremes (e.g. for courage, it would be to act between brashness and cowardliness) There is also the virtue of the calculative part of the rational part of the soul, practical wisdom, which dictates how people should act. Practical wisdom, combined with the virtues of character make up Phronesis, which is 'human happiness'. For to achieve the virtues of character, you not only need to perform the virtuous acts, but you also need to recognize (through the application of intelligence) that the actions you perform are virtuous.
There is also the virtue of the scientific part of the soul, known as Sophia, or Wisdom, which Aristotle characterises as the Divine Happiness. The Scientific part differs from the calculative part of the soul in that it considers things other than human affairs (e.g. physics), and investigates the world around us, and in this regard it is superior to the calculative part of the soul. Wisdom is understanding (grasp of principles) plus scientific knowledge (grasp of what follows from the principles) about what is by nature most honorable. Wisdom is the highest virtue.