Ethics of Aristotle

Paper Summary:

This paper considers Aristotle's philosophy on ethics by discussing the various arguments made in his work, "Nicomachean Ethics." It shows how Aristotle bases his theories on the belief that every action is aimed at some good and that there exists a supreme good which is the ultimate aim of all human activity. According to Aristotle, this supreme good is happiness, the state that every individual is ultimately seeking. It examines how this happiness can be obtained by the internal processes of the individual, which impact their actions, with these actions based on developing habit. It concludes that. while Aristotle's argument has some questionable points;overall, it is an effective model for ethical behavior.

From the Paper:

"The second thing that Aristotle rejected as a means of achieving happiness is honor. Honor is achieved by society recognizing an individual. This can also include honor in the form of fame, which is a type of honor based on an individual being recognized for something. In considering why honor is not the ultimate source of happiness, it must be noted that if honor were the ultimate source of happiness, individuals would operate on the basis of being recognized for their actions. This would result in a focus on being accepted by others. This focus on expecting honor as a reward for good actions, undermines the real search for happiness."

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