Contemporary Moral Problems
Book Review Chapter 1: Ethical Theories:
Aristotle: Happiness and Virtue
Library Reference: N/A
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534584306/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233793391&sr=8-1
Quote: “with the greatest sufferings and misfortunes, but a man who was living so no one would call happy unless he were maintaining a thesis at all cost”
For my personal reaction on this statement, it shows that everyone can be happy but not at all time because according to the statement he can be happy as long as there are maintaining a theory every time, so that being happy is not what you got all the things in you life but is like having a good idea and never lost this idea at all time this is according to the statement.
Learning Expectation:
• Who is the author of the book
• I want to know what the meaning of Happiness is.
• I want to know what the meaning of virtue is.
• I want to know if this theory is applicable in my personal life.
• I want to gain more knowledge in studying Ethical Theories.
Review:
To start the review let me first discuss who the author of the book is, he is Aristotle he is one of the famous philosopher in the world. He is famous in formulation of traditional logic he also argues that all human seek happiness in life which will be discuss in the book.
The book show that the happiness seeks by the people is real because they are happy in different way and angle which is true but the happiness they achieve is temporary. Happiness is one thing that is desirable. The book also covers those two kinds of virtue in life,
So in generalization this book talks about the theories of Aristotle and how the happiness and virtue connected to each other but in different meaning, and also which is good and why the two connected,
What I’ve learned:
• I learned who the author of the book is.
• I learned what the meaning of Happiness is.
• I learned what the meaning of Virtue is.
• I learned that there are two kind of virtue.
Questions:
1. Do you think happiness is real?
2. What is the Happiness of life?
3. Do you achieve the happiness with other people?
4. Do you think is this happening today?
5. Is it good to become happy while you are doing the wrong thing?
Citation: (James E. White, St. Cloud State University, 2003)
What is happiness, accoring to Aristotle? How is it related to virtue? How is it related to pleasure?
Happiness is like a food because it is for all the people in the world and for everyone. When we feel good for other and for ourselves this is happiness. For Aristotle happiness is within the human self, human virtue and those are the ethical and for personal viewpoint of every person.
How does Aristotle expain moral virtue?
Aristotle applies the moral virtue in a way that this is his habit so that this is every person his or her habit. Those habits are the trademark of every human being and this is serving as a character or attitude of a person. Aristotle sees the different virtue of the people that is the person attitude and what is or she rose. This is the thing where we believe and where we raised our personality.
Is it possible for everyone in our society to be happy, as Aristotle explains? If not, who cannot be happy?
Aristotle want every people in the society to be happy and he has a lot of reason why should this happen and what are the possibilities to make this happen. And for me I think every people in the society has a change to attain happiness in life, this is a free and when you achieve happiness and all people get happiness in life I think this is better to the community and society. Every person can have their happiness it a matter of time when he/she will be happy. For human being no one can decide that you are happy but you self only. Because happiness is not a tangible material but this is inside in the human nature.
Discussion Questions:
Aristotle characterizes a life of pleasure as a suitable for beasts. But what, if anything, is wrong with a life of pleasure?
Aristotle characterizes a life of pleasure as a suitable for beasts because we as a human being we wants pleasure in life, and for my personal side this pleasure is something that you will decide, so that we have our own mind to decide what is wrong. Different culture and religion practice their morality in life so for other thing are right and other are wrong. If you get the right pleasure in the right time you will achieve your happiness in life that is the true pleasure when you attain the happiness in life.
Aristotle claims that the philosopher will be happier than anyone else. Why is this? Do you agree or not?
Aristotle is trying to show us what his own perspective view of what is happiness is. We can apply this because everyone in the world has a change to become philosopher but in the end only yourself are the one who can said the you are happy or not because it is within human being as a circumstance of individual
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