Nicomachean Ethics

I am in a point in my existence where I have to begin making up my mind in which path to take in my life and probably, that would be the greatest decision that I would be facing. Upon reading this book by ancient Athenian Philosopher Aristotle, in some manner it has made me free from ambiguity and confusion. It has helped me find out what I wanted and how to live a good life.

An initial way for us to attain a good life is being fully aware of your functions as an individual. We must distinguish what are the ends that we could produce as an outcome of our crafts, decision, actions and investigations. This may not be that easy. For some, it may take a very long time for them to mark their purpose. What is important is that we have discerned our normal or customary activity here in this world

Right after identifying the ends that we could produce, that is the time we start to engage ourselves with these ends for us to be able to reach the supreme good which is happiness. Along the way of attaining the supreme good, of course we would be facing a number of trials and difficulties that would make us question ourselves which is the right thing to do. If we are in situations like this, our moral and intellectual virtues would serve as assistance to us. Being a virtuous person is a necessary precondition for living a good life. Every one of us is capable of having intellectual virtues through instruction and moral virtues through habit and constant practice. On the process of acquiring these virtues, there is no guarantee that we would really end up getting the positive virtues. There is also a chance that instead of having virtues, continence and superhuman virtue, we would land up gaining vices, incontinence and brutishness. However, there are ways for us to be able to get away with it. For me the process really requires great physical and mental effort for us to be able to endure. Obliterating a disposition to do vice acts is hard for a reason that it is something natural or acquired habit or characteristic tendency of a person which has developed from a very young age. I consider vices as the worst source of our wrongdoings. For incontinence, it is not a question of moral badness. It deals more with self-control which is also unmanageable because it is like an instinctive motive. Lastly, to eliminate brutishness, it is not just like taking time by the fore clock because having capacity for rational thought cannot be learned in just a click.

Intellectual and Moral virtues help us see what the world is like and it makes possible the rational contemplation. If we go through a very long and thoughtful observation being guided by intellect and reason, we would be able to know what is right and what is wrong. A person who has all the right moral virtues knows what ends to pursue.

Aristotle was also able to tackle the philosophical importance of friendship in attaining a good life. The reasons behind how a friendship is formed and the way you treat your friends also contribute to your happiness. As what has been said, a supreme good is self-sufficient. It should not be solitary. It must also involve other persons including your friends. Furthermore, friendship serves as a way for the citizens to cooperate with the community and share their lives and goals with one another instead of using coercive power. This kind of discussion is more relevant during Aristotle’s time when there is no distinction between public and private life and everyone shares the same virtues and goals compared to our present condition where we are giving more importance to individual and to the virtue of self-reliance and personal independence.

Every one of us aims to pursue a good and draws a bead for what we call happiness. Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics was able to present us a line which leads to a good life. However, all these things may not be totally conform to fact or reality because it so much depends on the circumstances that you are in. The decision is still in our hands whether we would let Aristotle’s philosophy maneuver us to a life we wanted.