An Overview of a Good Person Through the Philosophy of Aristotle

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Happiness is a very broad term. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines happiness as "a pleasurable or satisfying experience." But how does one achieve this? In Aristotle's writings in Nicomachean Ethics, we examine the many factors and elements surrounding happiness: what is happiness, how does one achieve it, who can achieve it, and further. Aristotle uses Nicomachean Ethics as a how-to guide on what to do and what not to do on everyday moral issues of integrity, understanding, and morals.

He even asserts that in making these daily choices, whether they may be right or wrong, the decision must be one made in complete ethical confidence, claiming that the good person would make the correct choice for the right reasons, without outside influence.

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In attempting to answer the question at hand, what is happiness, and how does one achieve it in life? Aristotle gives this claim: ...happiness is a principle; for [the principle] is what we all aim at in all our other actions; and we take the principle and cause of goods to be something honorable and divine.

.. For praise is given to virtue, since it makes us do fine actions. (16)

Aristotle believes that there are different meanings to the term "good" when one evaluates the quality of life and happiness and success. He expounds on the connotation of good ethically, saying that virtue plays a major role in a person's happiness. Ultimately, the happiest of people he concludes are those who have lives filled with actions and meaning. When he says this, he goes on to say that the people with the most likelihood to end up happy are those who make a point to do noble and charitable acts of kindness on their community.

He gives a simple analogy to summarize who the "winners" would be in life, based on their actions and efforts in the world - "And just as Olympic prizes are not for the finest and strongest, but for the contestants - since it is only these who win - the same is true in life; among the fine and good people, only those who act correctly win the prize" (11). Aristotle even goes further to say that it is our public duty to take our good actions and ensure that we set an example for all around us, in turn spreading the good so that the society would become made up of what he believed would be "...good people who do fine actions” (12).

A good person, in Aristotle's contention, maintains his position of good-doing throughout life until death, and even in death there is some dispute the effects of goodness plays in the afterlife. Maintaining one's position of moral virtuosity is not an easy feat, however, with life's many temptations to act sinfully.

To this, Aristotle asserts that the good man would take the opportunity to abstain from misconduct and continue on the path of righteousness. To help along this journey, sharpening one's intellectual abilities through the arts and music would only further improve one's ability to be seen in good moral standing, and do so to a point of excellence. These tools will help create a man's ability to make better choices and decisions, for a good man will always try to make good choices. And the happy man is always trying to do good things for others and to others around him, by always making the right choices and choosing the path of enlightenment. In summary, Aristotle concludes "For always, or more than anything else, he will do and study the actions in accord with virtue, and will bear fortunes most finely, in every way and in all conditions appropriately, since he is truly 'good, foursquare, and blameless""(14).