Reflection of Aristotle
Aristotle believed that the goal of all human life is to achieve ultimate happiness. Happiness is the final Utopia or the end of “a life worth living.” Human instinct is characterized by achieving personal fulfillment, thus leading to happiness. Aristotle warns against going astray and “preferring a life suitable to beasts” by assuming happiness and pleasure are equal. Living a life preferred by beasts incapacitates a person from achieving the end Utopia. Even though Aristotle does not equate the two, he does stress that minimal pleasure is required to achieve happiness. Someone lacking in vital necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter are not capable of achieving happiness due to their lack of pleasure. Aristotle sets forth two prerequisites for the final Utopia; a person must possess an intellectual virtue and a moral virtue. Intellectual virtue, or excellence of intelligence, must be learned, where as moral virtue, excellence of character, must be practiced and thus obtained through force of habit. Aristotle teaches that by acquiring and balancing intellectual and moral virtues are the only way to achieve personal fulfillment, thus achieving the ultimate goal in human life, happiness.
Aristotle believed in two dimensions, intellectual virtue and moral virtue. An intellectual virtue is defined as excellence of intelligence. Intellectual virtue consists of philosophical wisdom and practical wisdom. Philosophical wisdom is theoretical and can only be achieved by understanding the truth of reality’s structure. Practical wisdom must be understood when constructing daily routines. An intellectual virtue is achieved by forming a compulsion to engage in morally correct acts; it is habitual to be good. A pers ...