Aristotle's Path to Happiness: A Contemporary Reflection

Aristotle's Philosophy of Happiness

The Pursuit of the Supreme Good

Happiness is a subject that has preoccupied humanity since its inception, and similarly, philosophy. For Aristotle, happiness is the supreme good that everyone must strive for, because every purpose of action leads to happiness, just as an architect's purpose is to create buildings.

I agree when he says that we all want to achieve happiness, but not all reach it alike. Many people believe that having wealth and a good life constitutes authentic happiness, but they are mistaken. True happiness is about always doing well.

Happiness as Activity, Not Pleasure

Happiness, to speak effectively, is to fulfill whatever role we perform. As we come to know and understand its fullest extent, the main goal of the philosopher Aristotle is to determine what may be the much-desired and sought-after human happiness.

He indicates, for example, that happiness must lie in some kind of activity, which excludes identifying happiness with pleasure. Pleasure is not an activity but a feeling or state that accompanies certain activities considered pleasurable.

The Role of Developed Capacities

Given that humans possess different qualities, both psychological and physical capabilities, it is the most perfectly developed capacity or faculty, and an activity performed under this same capacity, that is characteristic of humanity.

Moreover, it must be an activity sought and obtained for its own sake, not as a means to achieve something else. This excludes practical knowledge, as such knowledge is not self-seeking but pursued in terms of the action itself.

Contemplation and Theoretical Knowledge

These features are exclusive only to theoretical knowledge and contemplation, which, as we have seen on occasion, is the activity of reason.

A Personal Reflection on Happiness

Beyond Contemplation: Diverse Paths to Fulfillment

I do not entirely agree, as I believe there are many human activities in which human beings can develop fully and, therefore, be happy. These include:

• Science
• Art
• Cooking
• Agriculture
• And many more...

What is required is a work in which human beings can develop their physical and intellectual capacities. A teacher who teaches the basics of arithmetic can feel as happy as the director of a doctoral thesis or a bridge builder.

Intellectual vs. Physical Capacities

It is also true that, in general, our intellectual capabilities tend to endure longer, while those linked to physical strength or beauty often begin to decline sooner.