In this essay I will discuss between the meaning of Eudaimonia (happiness) between Plato and Aristotle. The statement from which Plato quotes… “For the man who makes everything that leads to happiness, or near to it, depends upon himself and not upon other men, on whose good or evil actions his own doings are completed to hinge… such, a one, I say, had adopted the very best plan for living happily this is the man of moderations this is the man of manly character and of wisdom.”( Brainy Quotes) and the quote from Aristotle as he quotes… “He is happy who lives in accordance with complete virtue and is sufficiently equipped with external good, not for some chance period but throughout a complete good life and happiness depends on ourselves” (Nicomachean Ethics 1101a10)” (Aristotle/Happiness).
In the western world of philosophy there were two of the greatest philosophers who were taught by Socrates. Let me first say that Socrates was a teacher in the philosophy world in Athens where he taught Plato and then Plato taught Aristotle. But all these men became famous in philosophy and all were happy in the Greek world. The word happiness as they use is “Eudaimonia” which is based on how they see happiness and what it means. According to Plato he quotes.” For the man who makes everything that leads to happiness, or near to it, depends upon himself and not upon other men, on whose good or evil actions his own doings are completed to hinge…such, a one, I say, has adopted the very best plan for living happily this man of moderation this is the man of manly character and of wisdom(brainy quotes, Plato). I believe that he feels that we should not depend up others, but we need to depend on ourselves on what we feel that we are doing in life is to be happy. I also feel that we should be happy in order to live out our lives in doing what we enjoy and what makes us happy as a whole.
Another great philosopher is that of Plato’s Student is Aristotle he quotes to be happy is “ He is happy who lives in accordance with virtue and is sufficiently equipped with external goods, not for some chance period but throughout a complete life (Nicomachean Ethics 1101a10)… (Aristotle and Happiness). I believe that with Aristotle feels that there is a relationship between happiness and virtue. I believe that happiness is throughout one’s lifetime and that happiness can be obtained for satisfaction of one’s life. I feel that we must follow many paths in our life which will help us develop happiness which that be of wealth, love and comfort by helping those around us.
When it comes to virtue and happiness according to both Aristotle and Plato. “Aristotle is having the happy life is the life of virtuous action, which include a great deal of pleasure but is not good because of the pleasure. Happiness according to Aristotle is having a life that is objectively fulfilled. (Solomon 271). Aristotle claims in the Nicomachean Ethics that happiness also depends on “virtue as a disposition” and that being kind and generous is a mortal trait in happiness for a good life. (Nicomachean Ethics). My understanding on this he feels that we should live life to the fullest and enjoy every moment of that with family and close friends.
127 our experts are availableright now
According to Plato his views are “Plato maintains a virtue based Eudemonistic concept of ethics is that to say, happiness or wellbeing (eudaimonia) is the highest aim of moral thought and conducts and the virtues are the required skilled need to obtain it. (Frede 2017). In order to be happy, we must be well educated on what we want to study and reach the highest possible degree ever to find happiness of what we would enjoy doing in our lifetime and we will be able to exercise these virtues will be able to help one achieve happiness. When it comes to happiness we can live up to our fullest potential as human beings by making the right choices in our lives to be happy and carry out a happy life. As for Aristotle I feel that he feels that a lifelong rode to happiness is we live our lifetime of happiness till we die.
Even though Socrates taught Plato in Athens he was still one of the greatest philosophers that ever lived, and he died from drinking hemlock because he was blamed for corrupting the youths of Athens.(Solomon 2) Plato began to teach after the death of Socrates and in his teachings, he used and took the writings of Socrates. Socrates did not do any writing as Plato did his writings for him, Plato taught Aristotle for 20 years at the Academy in Athens where he taught Philosophical, science, and math. Aristotle who also became well known philosopher. After the death of Plato who they say died from a digestive failure. Aristotle opened a school of philosophy in Athens. He had a compassion in which he taught, and he received a large amount of money that he received for philosophical and scientific research. (Thomas 107). His believes in happiness being a lifetime journey, competed at one’s death. It was believed that he may have died from a self-administered does of hemlock, but others think he may have been at a wedding and died after being there. They say that he was found in his sleep. So, Aristotle’s death is still uncertain. (Thomas 120). But his lifetime journey of happiness with complete virtue ended, but prior to his death he was liberating with one last philosophical quality he wrote one of the most greatest work of all which he liberated his slaves. (Thomas 117).
According to Plato complete virtue and is sufficiently equipped with external good, and that of Aristotle on whose good or evil actions his own doings are completed to hinge. Which means that we must achieve happiness in our lifetime. External goods are based on our wants and needs to bring the best out of us though friendships, wealth, family and health. Even though we many have our own ups and downs. But we should all love rather than hate. So, but doing this we should be good to those and express our goods by sharing and not by any evil acts. For an example if we are wealthy, we should help those in need weather we should donate to the local food banks or illness’s that they are doing research on. If we continue to go down a path of happiness it will be a good life and happy one is one’s life. If we choice to go down the wrong path in life, we will not be following the advice of these two philosophers. So, by doing the thing in our life we can be happy throughout out our entire life.
