Virtue and Rationality

 Virtue

In this philosophical reading, Aristotle believed that the chief good is happiness and happiness can be achieved through virtues. In here, the happiness that he talks about is not the happiness we would think of today. He spoke of achieving Eudamonia (true happiness). For him, Eudaimonia is not an emotional state but rather it is more about being all that you can, fulfilling your potential. In short terms, it means displaying the best version you can be. Aristotle also thought that the practice of virtues would equate to happiness, in the sense of being all you could be. By virtues, Aristotle meant the act of achieving balance and moderation. Aristotle stressed that this moderation of pain and pleasure is an extremely important aspect of virtue. The mean between excess vices and deficient vices must always be pursued. Vices cause us to not act virtuous in dealing with pleasure and pain. An illustration of this could be that if a person endures pain with courage, he or she is balancing pain and pleasure. This balance becomes an index of the person's virtue.
It was Aristotle's belief that by achieving these virtues, happiness would result. So, for him, contemplation was the highest activity humans could do. Contemplation is that activity that refines and discovers virtues. Carried out continuously it allows you to reach your potential.


-Hanna Mari P. Ando
BSBA MM 1-1