Reflection on

Chapter 4- Lesson 1 (Happiness and Ultimate Purpose)

According to Aristotle, a happy person is one who achieves all of their goals and
dreams. Happy for me is a combination of both views. You are correct in saying that we are
happier when we take action, and that our emotions can determine whether or not we are happy.
Personality-wise, I believe that happiness is also a result of acquiring external goods such as
wealth and honors. It contributes to our well-being. Each person, philosopher like Aristotle,
and contemporary observers like myself have different definitions of happiness. How do we
achieve this so-called happiness, however, remains a mystery. It is a common belief among
philosophers such as Aristotle that a person's happiness can be achieved through their actions.
Hédonism holds that the basis for happiness is emotion, while contemporary viewers such as
myself believe that it is obvious goods like pleasure, wealth and honor that make us happy.
Happiness has no right or wrong answer.

The differences between people are often highlighted in society, but I would like to
believe that this is not the case. The human race must be united by something, anything.
Everybody can relate to happiness because we've all tried to achieve it at some point in our
lives. In Aristotle's view, a happy life is one that is blessed, and the desire of genuine happiness
should be the goal. Happiness, he says, isn't a feeling, but rather the result of living a good life.
On the basis of this description, he believes that it is a lifelong goal that cannot be achieved in
a single instance. A happy life is a result of our ability to think. He goes on to explain that in
order to be happy, one must possess the characteristics of a happy person. According to
Aristotle, in order to achieve happiness, one must cultivate and exercise the appropriate virtues.
Happiness is based on virtue, and virtue is possessed and exercised. To the contrary, he believes
that happiness cannot be contained in a virtuous person alone. Virtues are the habits of the soul
that allow one to act well by expressing the right reason in their actions. As a result of practice
and habitation, this skill can be acquired. In the end, it's up to us to feel right and act right but
happiness isn't solely determined by virtue.

A lot of people have different personalities and ways of living their lives, and I've been
able to observe that. I believe there is no right or wrong way to act, Aristotle teaches that one
should act virtuously. There may not be a right way to act, but could there be a wrong way to
act? Only the individual can answer this question, I believe. This depends on your morals and
what you believe to be true.