aristotle
...n the sense that once we have happiness, we do not desire anything else. Happiness does not need supplementation from other entities. Claiming that happiness is the ultimate human end, Aristotle knew that he must specify what happiness actually consists of. He went about explaining this by the composure of what’s known as the function argument. This argument proposes that the good for any form of life can be determined by finding out what its primary function is. Its good will consist in its fulfilling its function. Therefore, if we can find out what the function of a human being is, then we can discover the ultimate means to achieve this function. To find out what the function of a human being is, Aristotle looks at what is distinctive about humans. He discovers that the good of the human is to act in accord with reason well, which can translate into acting in accord with virtue. One cannot have happiness without virtue, just as it is impossible to be virtuous with the absence of rational thinking. Because man is a rational creature, rather than plants which are vegetative, happiness for man must include the excellent functioning of the rational faculties. Aristotle found that there are two kinds of virtues of the soul. First, there are virtues of thought, such as wisdom. Next, there are virtues of character, such as generosity. The main focus of his virtue ethics lies in the virtues of character. Aristotle assumed that these virtues are learned through habit. For example, whereas intellectual virtue may arise from reading a book, the adoption of virtuous character is inherited solely by practice. Therefore, it is through a person’s upbringing that moral virtues are cultivated, and it is through the habit of thinking virtuously that one can excel towards happiness. It is important to note that virtue not just a matter of behavior. If someone performs an act of generosity but is pained by it, then he or she is not really generous (does not really possess the virtue of generosity), and has not really acted generously. This can be deceiving at times, because it is easily disguised from the outside. Also noteworthy is the role that moderation plays in Aristotle’s virtue ethics. Acting virtuously relates to choosing the medium between two extremes in situations. These two extremes are deficiency and excess. The mean is relative to the person, rather than to the external circumstances. For example, the mean between un-generosity and wastefulness is generosity. In the same sense, the mean between cowardice and rashness is bravery. Aristotle would teach that choosing bravery, or generosity, would be acting virtuously. In conclusion, Aristotle’s virtue ethics teach the ways in which a person can flourish to the best of his or her potential. The ultimate happine...