Monday, October 3, 2016

Can you be virtuous but not happy?

In part four of book one Aristotle equates living well with being happy and then goes on to say that happiness is the highest form of goodness. I disagree with him on both of these statements. Now, my argument comes from a Christian and I don't disagree entirely with either of those things, but I do disagree in certain regards.  Can you live well but still not be happy? I absolutely think so. As a Christian, we're called to strive for holiness, not happiness. If you asked me to define "living well" it would be living a life that is pleasing to the Lord. The Lord calls us to uncomfortable and unpleasant things at times in our lives and during these times, we may be living well and being obedient to the Lord, but not be enjoying whatever work it is that the Lord has you doing; hence living well, but not being happy. I also disagree with Aristotle's argument that happiness is the highest form of goodness. One can be happy, doing things that are pleasing only to themselves, and therefore not be virtuous. I understand that if you are "living well" as a Christian, even if God has you doing something you don't necessarily enjoy, you can find joy in that because doing the Lord's work makes you joyful, but that joy comes from pleasing the Lord and cannot be used as the reasoning for why someone is or is not "good" or "virtuous" because often that is based on a fleeting feeling. While whether someone is virtuous or not is not a temporary or fleeting thing.

I commented on Natalie's and Sierra's!

1 comment:

  1. This is just the direction I kept wanting to go as I read Aristotle's thoughts. I love how you point out the difference of holiness and happiness. I think you are definitely onto something by stating the ultimate good not lining up to be happiness. Could it possibly be instead holiness? So thought-provoking!

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