LEARNING ACTIVITY

Answer the following questions concisely in a separate sheet of paper.

A. 1. What does happiness mean for Aristotle and why does he consider it as
the chief good of the human person?
Answer: Aristotle names the chief good for the human person as happiness or
eudaimonia. For him, happiness is the self- sufficient, final, and attainable goal of
human life. It is self- sufficient because to have it makes human life complete. It is
final because it is desired for itself and not for the sake of something else, and it is
attainable. It is not a mere theoretical construct but something that one actually does
practically. In his own words: Happiness above all seems to be of this character, for
we always choose it on account of itself and never on account of something else.
Yet honor, pleasure, intellect, and every virtue we choose on their own account-for
even if nothing resulted from them, we would choose each of them-but we choose
them also for the sake of happiness, because we suppose that, through them, we
will be happy. But nobody chooses happiness for the sake of these things, or, more
generally, on account of anything else.

2. What is virtue and what is its place in the ethical theory of Aristotle?
Answer: Virtue is concerned with those traits of character that make one a good
person. We can all think of persons whom we admire, and we can sometimes tell
why we admire or look up to them. When we do so, we often say that they are
generous, kind, patient, persevering, or loyal, for example. An ethics focused on
virtue encourages us to develop the good traits and get rid of the bad ones. On
Aristotle theory, he says that a truly virtuous action is performed by someone who is
not simply compelled to do so. A person does a virtuous act and chooses to act in
such a way for the sake of being virtuous. This choice comes from a certain firmness
of character that is not easily swayed by one's passions or influenced by certain
factors in a given situation. A virtuous person is someone who has been so used to
acting virtuously that it becomes tremendously difficult for anything or anyone to
convince him/her to act otherwise.

3. How do you understand the meaning of character? How is it relevant in

making moral choices.
Answer: According to Aristotle, when people acquire good habits of character, they
are better able to regulate their emotions and their reason. This, in turn, helps us
reach morally correct decisions when we are faced with difficult choices. Having a
good characteristics leads to a good moral decisions in short we can avoid the bad
habits or the immoral traits.

4. Can you think of a real-life example of a virtuous person? Why do you

consider him/her to be so?
Answer: For instance, My mother, for me I consider her as a virtuous person
because she is a kind, patient, caring, hardworking and good mother to us. I admire
her because of being a good mother to us. All the things she did is not because she
is compelled to do so or not because it is her duty but she did all those things
because of her love for us and also it is what her heart wants. She may be not
perfect in other’s eyes but for me she is the only virtuous person in my eyes.

5. How can you apply Aristotle’s ethics in improving the current state of
your country?
Answer: I can apply Aristotle’s ethics in improving the current state of our country by
being a role model in our town. Having a good characteristics and good woman can
have a big impact to our community. Seeing a good role model can be persuade
them. Small step is still a step so it is better that if they see a good example their
traits can also be changed. Changing the characteristics is a great help in changing
the community. And also I always believe that behind those evilness there is always
good in a person.

B. Evaluate the table of the principal virtues and vices. Identify and reflect on
your personal experiences where you may have engaged in some of the
vices listed there. What factors led to your having such dispositions in these
experiences?
Answer: In those principal virtues and vices, I think I am engaged in some of the
vices listed there are the Rashness, Cowardice, Meanness, Self Indulgence and
Lack of spirit. I am the type of person who is very rash, rash in someone that
sometimes I didn’t think of what people may think, Cowardice, I’m not very good in
associating, sometimes I think that they don’t want to talk to me so that’s why I’m
very coward. I’m also mean, I always think first my self before thinking of what they
would be feel, I can say that I’m very mean sometimes especially when I’m not in the
mood. Lastly, lack of spirit, I don’t have a trust to myself, I always have a doubt that I
can make it, all this vices cis cause of what happened years ago. All my vices had a
great history behind this, that I am like this because of the past but I believed that in
no time I can get rid of this vices.