Contemplation is more like a religious activity but it can also be considered as thinking deeply to find answers. The book X tells us about learning about happiness is almost however you can be happy by being a good person in order to be a good person you have to follow what a good person does. We figured out this concept with the help of contemplation. This is how book I relates to book X. Book x also tells us that we know alot because we are rational animals and we think rationally. We were adapted to the rational life. we can think better than other animals therefore we are good at deciding what is good and what is bad. We can also say that the thoughts of pleasure come from contemplation. We think deeply which is why we have science, art. Wisdom is what we received the most from contemplation.
Since book 1, we've been talking about having the Supreme Good which would be the best thing to have. The Supreme Good we found to understand was Happiness. So the best life you can have is one that is the highest ends of happiness. Book 2 talks about virtue and the different types: intellectual and moral. Virtue is a state of being, not an activity. So we must act virtuous to find happiness. To comtemplate means to think about something thoroughly. This would be wise to do so simply because it slims the chance of you being fallible (making error). But the question is comtemplation is the best life thinking about what? If it is comtemplation of virtue then yes because it will lead to a happy life.
Book 1 relates to the happiness of each person pursues in life. the best way to view in book x is that virtues and pleasures are and what are produced. the best life is to be completed and are bound up with the activity."The happy life is thought to be virtuous; now a virtuous life requires exertion, and does not consist in amusement."contemplation reflects to a content free life directed towards the awareness of god. plato thought the soul may ascend to acknowledge of the form of good. we are deciding what are good and what is bad so contemplation comes into pay what are the best virtue to lead a happy fulfilling life
I think the message in book x is that pleasure is the supreme good because we desire for it self. However moreover in the text we see how Plato discuss that other thing such as happiness and intelligence make pleasure more desirable do we can't considered pleasure as the supreme good. Virtue, intelligences, and pleasure are the good that this text is discussing. Like we saw in book I happiness is the highest state in people life so people persuade happiness for itself, then in book x we see how people persuade pleasure in order to obtain happiness..I personally think that in life when people reach happiness other things such as intelligence and pleasure will come with the happiness, so from my point of view we all need to find the truth of happiness in order to get to the highest stated in life.
In Book X it talks about pleasure.In this book it seems to talk about pleasure being good. I was a bit confused. Would pleasure really be considered good sense to fulfill our pleasures would be for selfish reasons and not for the greater good.And does intellegence really make pleasure more desirable. Idk maybe ill get a better understanding of this in class.
As we know, book I explains that happiness is a good thing and without it, a person is not complete at all. Therefore, book X relates to pleasure. I believe that pleasure is not a bad thing, it is a good thing just like happiness. For example, I think that a human being will be complete if he/she has happiness, but at the same time that person has to feel the pleasure of their happiness' cause. However, it has to be a good thing such as intelligence. In other words, in order to reach happiness, we have to get pleasure first. Also, pleasure is like a bridge to the good of happiness and every person has to get it first.
Book X is talking about the goodness of pleasure but in the other classes when we talked about the two sided views of justice and good, pleasure also could be put in that category. Pleasure could be a good thing but also considered bad because you could just want pleasure just not to have pain, but with pleasure comes pain? In the text it said people can be the slaves of their own pleasure and often lead them in the opposite direction, which is pain. That argument is truthful. Eudoux kind of supported the statement because he said with pleasure you see the rational and the irrational. If you aren't wise and still want pleasure then it doesn't make sense to have the goodness of pleasure.
Book X talks about the different types of pleasures and how not to mix them up with the state of pleasures from being a virtues person with the pleasure of amusement. Aristotle talks about being careful of not been enslaved to our pleasures but to lead a pleasant life which is more desirable with wisdom than a life without wisdom . he also talk about the opposite of pleasure which is pain associate with evil. and how this take away the state of pleasure and how to replenish or get back to the estate of pleasure. he also say that happiness is an activity of happiness which is the proper virtue, perfect happiness and that that activity is contemplative which tie it up to Book I that talks about the " chief good " . What I get from this text is that we should live a life in which we live by proper virtues be noble and brave and always seek the true happiness not for its amusement for the thrill we get from it but the state of happiness that comes from being virtues and good , a wellbeing a state of mind. not for the body but for the soul as well
in book x i believe this book pulls from book 1 about the state of happiness and relates that do the state of pleasure and dissecting the different kinds of pleasure. do we automatically get pleasure out of being happy or are they two different things entirely and we have to obtain them independently? This was confusing to me because i would naturally believe by being happy there is an amount of pleasure that come with that.
The word contemplate means to think about something seriously and at length in order to understand it more fully to bring about a possible course of action. It may be also interpreted as thinking expansively especially as a religious or spiritual exercise. According to Aristotle Nicomechean ethics Book X, pleasure can be interpreted in different ways. Regardless of the outcome, pleasure is a self choice that satisfies the individual even if it proves harmful to society. Pleasure has no restrictions and cannot be measured. As easy as it is for someone to be pleased, it is just as easy to get angry. Pleasure can be seen as a form of replenishing a loss or something missing for an extended amount of time. For example, someone who is starving is replenished with nourishment and that alone is their pleasure. Pleasure is not permanent, only temporary and for the moment. Pleasure and happiness are similar because they both don’t lack anything and is self sufficient. The act of contemplating is being able to formulate these thoughts into what may be the truth. Thinking about the truth has no time frame. Therefore the philosopher, who possibly shares the same virtue as a temperate man or brave man, triumphs in contemplating the truth. And the better he grasps the truth the wiser he is. That alone is a big difference. The rest depend on leisure which in return gives pleasure. In the reading, Aristotle makes reference to the Gods. We assume that the Gods above all beings are blessed and happy. The brave man will risk his life in order to please the gods. On the other hand if the human being is incapable of providing such actions but can still provide satisfaction to the Gods due to contemplation. Happiness and contemplation are parallel.
In book I we learned that contemplation is the greatest of all happiness. In other words through experiencing life and gaining the knowledge of the experience comes understanding. This is why contemplation is the best life because the happiness we feel through understanding the experience gives us wisdom and peace. Now in book X we learned about pleasures and happiness. There is a distinct difference between pleasures and happiness. Both are natural human desires but happiness is good no matter what the person does. Happiness is what all humans seek in life but pleasures are temporary desires that can be good or evil. If we learn how to possess happiness it can be eternal but pleasures are only for the moment. For example a person who only seeks pleasure may feel happy at the moment but will be trapped in pursuing pleasures. On the other hand a person who lives in moderation and contemplation will experience eternal happiness in life.
Contemplative life is seen as the best life, because it gives a sense of belonging when it comes to the 3 kinds found in the soul. It reflects what is right or wrong and is portrayed as a religion. After reading Nicomachean Ethics II by Aristotle, I concluded that both book I and II had similarities. For example, own self interest, pain and pleasure, becoming educated and rejoicing in virtue was emphasized. In addition, there was also a slight contradiction. In book I,it was believed that teaching and learning virtue helps a man to attain good things in life and become "good by nature". Whilst, in book II emphasis was placed on the fact that intellectual and moral virtue are indeed learnt and taught, but cannot be of nature, because anything of nature cannot be trained or adjusted. We can only adopt to thing by nature to perfect them. I assume that being just doesn't come by theoretical knowledge but by activity? or the nature of book II was to examine the nature of action to know what is good and not just by being bad?
As i continue to read through out the weeks i come to a understanding that one is never going to be happy unless he acomplises his goals in life. It takes one step at a time to really make you have true happiness. Now on the other hand To contemplate means to think about something thoroughly. When i say that i mean every goal that you want to pursue take a man or women to think thoroughly about what they really want to do and why. I beleve that on when a goal is done that person took his or her time. In my every day life i have to always think something thoroughly before i deside to make a move. Just posting this comment took me time and contemplate> with that being said only true happiness is to come when you thought about what is it that you really want in life and why.
“Contemplation is both the highest form of activity and also it is the most continuous, because we are more capable of continuous contemplation than we are of any practical activity.”’ There is the power of practicing virtue (intellectual) and that of teaching virtue (moral). In book I Aristotle talks about being able to find good for itself or for its consequence. Both book 1 and 2 have the same idea because it expresses the idea that oneself has the ability to choose their actions and outcomes of good with contemplation. A life in which you are able to contemplate is one filled with virtue and good. With contemplation you are truly happy. The art of contemplation brings out the best in us but yet it confuses us. With the ability to choose you may also fear making the wrong choice and with brings happiness? To me happiness is a choice and it’s up to you how you go about it.
The contemplation life is the best life because it gives you the greatest happiness through wisdom that you gain from all your experiences in life. The thinking that you do where you decide what is good and bad is what makes contemplation so good. Also this book X relates to book I because in this book wee talk about pleasures and in book I we talk about true happiness. Both go hand in hand. Pleasures cause happiness it is like a chain reaction. But what I learned is that not all pleasures are always good but true happiness is always good. Sometimes doing something just for your own personal pleasure isn't right. So sometimes figuring out which pleasures are good is hard to figure out that is why contemplation helps.
After reading Aristotle's Book X of Nicomachean Ethics it may be concluded that contemplation is the best life. Contemplation help individuals to think deeply to reason with given situations. Our decisions help us better ourselves, whether the decision was surfaced from a pasted experience or is being tested, we learn from it and gain intelligence. With intelligence comes happiness and with both comes the desire to fulfill a pleasure and vice versa. As we may desire to please ourselves, being that pleasure is self-sufficent, we often get strung out on the outcome of happiness. However this isn't always the outcome because with pleasure there comes pain, that is why we must contemplate our actions to prevent the undesirables. As the chain reaction of desire, contemplation, pleasure and happiness repeats itself, one must gain intelligence to live in the "highest state of life" as stated in Book I.
In Book I, we identify happiness as the ultimate goal that each person seek. Now jumping into Book X, see that the highest form of happiness is contemplation. To contemplate is to think deeply about any subject on hand. By saying that contemplation is the highest form of happiness, Aristotle further argued that because wisdom is the highest intellectual virtue, and because the rational uses of the intellect are the highest human goal, the philosophical contemplation made possible by wisdom is the supreme human achievement. In the process of stating philosophical contemplation is the highest good, Aristotle may have left out an airtight argument for thinking so. So what if we are to enjoy some pleasure of life rather to contemplate about that life we are given, does this mean that we are nothing by animals.
In book I of Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle tells us that the end or goal of every activity we take on is to reach the ultimate good which is happiness. In book x he tells us that contemplation is the best life because it leads us to true happiness. Contemplation, the capacity to think or meditate about life and wisdom, can make us wiser and therefore happier. According to Aristotl, "we assume[God]to be above all other beings blessed and happy..." Then he asked the question of what kind of actions must we assign to God. After he answered this question using other questions, he came to the conclusion that "the activity of God, which surpasses all others in blessedness, must be contemplative." he also tells us that the contemplative life is seld-sufficient, and for this reason can bring us closer to authentic happiness. This life does not depend on enything else to be complited; it can fulfill our desire for happiness. Whereas a life that depends on material things to satisfy our inherent need for happiness is not seldsufficient. This life needs other things to be complete, and these things can be easily taken away from us, but wisdom can not. I do agree with Aristotle that the contemplative life is the ultimate good; however, there are other things in life that are pleasureble, these makes our experience in this world even more richer and enjoyiable.
Contemplation is in my opinion a form of deep meditation which can bring happiness and good in a persons life. To meditate for a few hours a day on the goals and things one would like to accomplish will bring them much closer to it. Meditations brings a person peace and assurance of their happiness as well as a peace of mind.
In book 1 we talked about happiness being the chief good. It is the chief because it is desired for itself and not for the sake of something else. Now, in book x we discuss the subject of pleasure. I think the author is posing the question can happiness be true happiness with out pleasure? and if so what is pleasure? is pleasure a replenishment? no! the author states that pleasure with wisdom is the true pleasure. If you want true pleasure you have to enjoy everything in moderation. the is the lasting pleasure. so i think that pleasure mixed with wisdom is the true happiness.
The idea of pain and pleasure relating to lack and replenishment, similar to the idea of happiness in book one of a blind man desiring sight and a poor man desiring wealth. If someone dealt with hunger and received food there has been replenishment because there was a lack of food, but if there was no lack of food, there will be no replenishment just like if a man can see he does not desire to see because he already can see. Also different people get pleasure from different things, that others might view as not pleasurable. I agree The relation to pleasure as being a new thing and as we grow familiar with it the pleasure decreases, pleasure is not continuous. It is stated that if two things bring pleasure, one will choose the thing that brings more pleasure, but if both activities lets say bring the same amount of pleasure, will they cancel each other out? The contemplative life is the best life because it bring happiness in itself, it does not lead to anything and it is self sufficient, a contemplative man does not need the praise and acceptance of other people to be happy, one who has money wants power and social acceptance so having money is not happiness in itself and same goes for political power, because they are dependent on other people or other factors, contemplation is not dependent on anything and brings happiness and pleasure in itself. If everything including money, power and action is taken away from man all he has left is contemplation, therefore does that mean that contemplation might serve as the base of all other goals and activities in relation to the pursuit of happiness?
After reading Aristotle's Book X of Nicomachean Ethics, it can be assumed that that contemplation is the only part out of the three that can bring universal happiness. In other words, the divine happiness. The other two are just temporary and will never be satisfied. We need what true happiness is, mentioned by Aristotle, which is contemplation. It is much better than social acknowledgment or the desire for luxury, material and relaxation. Our lives have a lot more than that for us, but we think that these things give us the true pleasure or happiness and we are still unhappy or frustrated with life. We should always live the life of contemplation, according to Aristotle, this is the best for the soul and mind. It does not require any money or any give-and-take to live a contemplated life. it is the last option for wisdom and true happiness, by seeking knowledge, in other words, living the life of contemplation.
Aristotle believes that nobody can achieve excellence in buiding up his character until he actually enjoys his life at best. It requires a long period of time to achieve contemplation because we make progress towards the good life but cannot fully achieve it unless we enjoy most of the goods. Pleasure is not just a good but something more that determines the goodness of anything. Good life is the pleasant life and to live this life we have to attempt for the maximum amount of pleasure we can achieve. Pleasure can give a good and bad end but the pleasure itself is not good or bad but the things which is attached to it. it can enhance the values of the good activities. Happiness is the enjoyment that is related to the virtue and comes together for the balanced development of our personality. So pleasure is also concerned with our physical aspect. Therefore contemplation turns out to be the extreme point of happiness. Contemplation is the best life because our mind is directed towards the eternal.
Contemplation is more like a religious activity but it can also be considered as thinking deeply to find answers. The book X tells us about learning about happiness is almost however you can be happy by being a good person in order to be a good person you have to follow what a good person does. We figured out this concept with the help of contemplation. This is how book I relates to book X. Book x also tells us that we know alot because we are rational animals and we think rationally. We were adapted to the rational life. we can think better than other animals therefore we are good at deciding what is good and what is bad. We can also say that the thoughts of pleasure come from contemplation. We think deeply which is why we have science, art. Wisdom is what we received the most from contemplation.
ReplyDeleteSince book 1, we've been talking about having the Supreme Good which would be the best thing to have. The Supreme Good we found to understand was Happiness. So the best life you can have is one that is the highest ends of happiness. Book 2 talks about virtue and the different types: intellectual and moral. Virtue is a state of being, not an activity. So we must act virtuous to find happiness. To comtemplate means to think about something thoroughly. This would be wise to do so simply because it slims the chance of you being fallible (making error). But the question is comtemplation is the best life thinking about what? If it is comtemplation of virtue then yes because it will lead to a happy life.
ReplyDeleteBook 1 relates to the happiness of each person pursues in life. the best way to view in book x is that virtues and pleasures are and what are produced. the best life is to be completed and are bound up with the activity."The happy life is thought to be virtuous; now a virtuous life requires exertion, and does not consist in amusement."contemplation reflects to a content free life directed towards the awareness of god. plato thought the soul may ascend to acknowledge of the form of good. we are deciding what are good and what is bad so contemplation comes into pay what are the best virtue to lead a happy fulfilling life
ReplyDeletejonathan ramos
I think the message in book x is that pleasure is the supreme good because we desire for it self. However moreover in the text we see how Plato discuss that other thing such as happiness and intelligence make pleasure more desirable do we can't considered pleasure as the supreme good. Virtue, intelligences, and pleasure are the good that this text is discussing. Like we saw in book I happiness is the highest state in people life so people persuade happiness for itself, then in book x we see how people persuade pleasure in order to obtain happiness..I personally think that in life when people reach happiness other things such as intelligence and pleasure will come with the happiness, so from my point of view we all need to find the truth of happiness in order to get to the highest stated in life.
ReplyDeleteIn Book X it talks about pleasure.In this book it seems to talk about pleasure being good. I was a bit confused. Would pleasure really be considered good sense to fulfill our pleasures would be for selfish reasons and not for the greater good.And does intellegence really make pleasure more desirable. Idk maybe ill get a better understanding of this in class.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAs we know, book I explains that happiness is a good thing and without it, a person is not complete at all. Therefore, book X relates to pleasure. I believe that pleasure is not a bad thing, it is a good thing just like happiness. For example, I think that a human being will be complete if he/she has happiness, but at the same time that person has to feel the pleasure of their happiness' cause. However, it has to be a good thing such as intelligence. In other words, in order to reach happiness, we have to get pleasure first. Also, pleasure is like a bridge to the good of happiness and every person has to get it first.
ReplyDeleteBook X is talking about the goodness of pleasure but in the other classes when we talked about the two sided views of justice and good, pleasure also could be put in that category. Pleasure could be a good thing but also considered bad because you could just want pleasure just not to have pain, but with pleasure comes pain? In the text it said people can be the slaves of their own pleasure and often lead them in the opposite direction, which is pain. That argument is truthful. Eudoux kind of supported the statement because he said with pleasure you see the rational and the irrational. If you aren't wise and still want pleasure then it doesn't make sense to have the goodness of pleasure.
ReplyDeleteBook X talks about the different types of pleasures and how not to mix them up with the state of pleasures from being a virtues person with the pleasure of amusement. Aristotle talks about being careful of not been enslaved to our pleasures but to lead a pleasant life which is more desirable with wisdom than a life without wisdom .
ReplyDeletehe also talk about the opposite of pleasure which is pain associate with evil. and how this take away the state of pleasure and how to replenish or get back to the estate of pleasure.
he also say that happiness is an activity of happiness which is the proper virtue, perfect happiness and that that activity is contemplative which tie it up to Book I that talks about the " chief good " .
What I get from this text is that we should live a life in which we live by proper virtues be noble and brave and always seek the true happiness not for its amusement for the thrill we get from it but the state of happiness that comes from being virtues and good , a wellbeing a state of mind. not for the body but for the soul as well
in book x i believe this book pulls from book 1 about the state of happiness and relates that do the state of pleasure and dissecting the different kinds of pleasure. do we automatically get pleasure out of being happy or are they two different things entirely and we have to obtain them independently? This was confusing to me because i would naturally believe by being happy there is an amount of pleasure that come with that.
ReplyDeleteThe word contemplate means to think about something seriously and at length in order to understand it more fully to bring about a possible course of action. It may be also interpreted as thinking expansively especially as a religious or spiritual exercise. According to Aristotle Nicomechean ethics Book X, pleasure can be interpreted in different ways. Regardless of the outcome, pleasure is a self choice that satisfies the individual even if it proves harmful to society. Pleasure has no restrictions and cannot be measured. As easy as it is for someone to be pleased, it is just as easy to get angry. Pleasure can be seen as a form of replenishing a loss or something missing for an extended amount of time. For example, someone who is starving is replenished with nourishment and that alone is their pleasure. Pleasure is not permanent, only temporary and for the moment. Pleasure and happiness are similar because they both don’t lack anything and is self sufficient. The act of contemplating is being able to formulate these thoughts into what may be the truth. Thinking about the truth has no time frame. Therefore the philosopher, who possibly shares the same virtue as a temperate man or brave man, triumphs in contemplating the truth. And the better he grasps the truth the wiser he is. That alone is a big difference. The rest depend on leisure which in return gives pleasure. In the reading, Aristotle makes reference to the Gods. We assume that the Gods above all beings are blessed and happy. The brave man will risk his life in order to please the gods. On the other hand if the human being is incapable of providing such actions but can still provide satisfaction to the Gods due to contemplation. Happiness and contemplation are parallel.
ReplyDeleteKevin Granados
ReplyDeletePHI 100-141
In book I we learned that contemplation is the greatest of all happiness. In other words through experiencing life and gaining the knowledge of the experience comes understanding. This is why contemplation is the best life because the happiness we feel through understanding the experience gives us wisdom and peace. Now in book X we learned about pleasures and happiness. There is a distinct difference between pleasures and happiness. Both are natural human desires but happiness is good no matter what the person does. Happiness is what all humans seek in life but pleasures are temporary desires that can be good or evil. If we learn how to possess happiness it can be eternal but pleasures are only for the moment. For example a person who only seeks pleasure may feel happy at the moment but will be trapped in pursuing pleasures. On the other hand a person who lives in moderation and contemplation will experience eternal happiness in life.
Contemplative life is seen as the best life, because it gives a sense of belonging when it comes to the 3 kinds found in the soul. It reflects what is right or wrong and is portrayed as a religion.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Nicomachean Ethics II by Aristotle, I concluded that both book I and II had similarities. For example, own self interest, pain and pleasure, becoming educated and rejoicing in virtue was emphasized.
In addition, there was also a slight contradiction. In book I,it was believed that teaching and learning virtue helps a man to attain good things in life and become "good by nature". Whilst, in book II emphasis was placed on the fact that intellectual and moral virtue are indeed learnt and taught, but cannot be of nature, because anything of nature cannot be trained or adjusted. We can only adopt to thing by nature to perfect them.
I assume that being just doesn't come by theoretical knowledge but by activity? or the nature of book II was to examine the nature of action to know what is good and not just by being bad?
As i continue to read through out the weeks i come to a understanding that one is never going to be happy unless he acomplises his goals in life. It takes one step at a time to really make you have true happiness. Now on the other hand To contemplate means to think about something thoroughly. When i say that i mean every goal that you want to pursue take a man or women to think thoroughly about what they really want to do and why. I beleve that on when a goal is done that person took his or her time. In my every day life i have to always think something thoroughly before i deside to make a move. Just posting this comment took me time and contemplate> with that being said only true happiness is to come when you thought about what is it that you really want in life and why.
ReplyDelete“Contemplation is both the highest form of activity and also it is the most continuous, because we are more capable of continuous contemplation than we are of any practical activity.”’ There is the power of practicing virtue (intellectual) and that of teaching virtue (moral). In book I Aristotle talks about being able to find good for itself or for its consequence. Both book 1 and 2 have the same idea because it expresses the idea that oneself has the ability to choose their actions and outcomes of good with contemplation. A life in which you are able to contemplate is one filled with virtue and good. With contemplation you are truly happy. The art of contemplation brings out the best in us but yet it confuses us. With the ability to choose you may also fear making the wrong choice and with brings happiness? To me happiness is a choice and it’s up to you how you go about it.
ReplyDeleteCesar Herrera
ReplyDeleteThe contemplation life is the best life because it gives you the greatest happiness through wisdom that you gain from all your experiences in life. The thinking that you do where you decide what is good and bad is what makes contemplation so good. Also this book X relates to book I because in this book wee talk about pleasures and in book I we talk about true happiness. Both go hand in hand. Pleasures cause happiness it is like a chain reaction. But what I learned is that not all pleasures are always good but true happiness is always good. Sometimes doing something just for your own personal pleasure isn't right. So sometimes figuring out which pleasures are good is hard to figure out that is why contemplation helps.
After reading Aristotle's Book X of Nicomachean Ethics it may be concluded that contemplation is the best life. Contemplation help individuals to think deeply to reason with given situations. Our decisions help us better ourselves, whether the decision was surfaced from a pasted experience or is being tested, we learn from it and gain intelligence. With intelligence comes happiness and with both comes the desire to fulfill a pleasure and vice versa. As we may desire to please ourselves, being that pleasure is self-sufficent, we often get strung out on the outcome of happiness. However this isn't always the outcome because with pleasure there comes pain, that is why we must contemplate our actions to prevent the undesirables. As the chain reaction of desire, contemplation, pleasure and happiness repeats itself, one must gain intelligence to live in the "highest state of life" as stated in Book I.
ReplyDeleteChih Hao Hsu
ReplyDeleteIn Book I, we identify happiness as the ultimate goal that each person seek. Now jumping into Book X, see that the highest form of happiness is contemplation. To contemplate is to think deeply about any subject on hand. By saying that contemplation is the highest form of happiness, Aristotle further argued that because wisdom is the highest intellectual virtue, and because the rational uses of the intellect are the highest human goal, the philosophical contemplation made possible by wisdom is the supreme human achievement.
In the process of stating philosophical contemplation is the highest good, Aristotle may have left out an airtight argument for thinking so. So what if we are to enjoy some pleasure of life rather to contemplate about that life we are given, does this mean that we are nothing by animals.
In book I of Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle tells us that the end or goal of every activity we take on is to reach the ultimate good which is happiness. In book x he tells us that contemplation is the best life because it leads us to true happiness. Contemplation, the capacity to think or meditate about life and wisdom, can make us wiser and therefore happier. According to Aristotl, "we assume[God]to be above all other beings blessed and happy..." Then he asked the question of what kind of actions must we assign to God. After he answered this question using other questions, he came to the conclusion that "the activity of God, which surpasses all others in blessedness, must be contemplative." he also tells us that the contemplative life is seld-sufficient, and for this reason can bring us closer to authentic happiness. This life does not depend on enything else to be complited; it can fulfill our desire for happiness. Whereas a life that depends on material things to satisfy our inherent need for happiness is not seldsufficient. This life needs other things to be complete, and these things can be easily taken away from us, but wisdom can not. I do agree with Aristotle that the contemplative life is the ultimate good; however, there are other things in life that are pleasureble, these makes our experience in this world even more richer and enjoyiable.
ReplyDeleteContemplation is in my opinion a form of deep meditation which can bring happiness and good in a persons life. To meditate for a few hours a day on the goals and things one would like to accomplish will bring them much closer to it. Meditations brings a person peace and assurance of their happiness as well as a peace of mind.
ReplyDeleteIn book 1 we talked about happiness being the chief good. It is the chief because it is desired for itself and not for the sake of something else. Now, in book x we discuss the subject of pleasure. I think the author is posing the question can happiness be true happiness with out pleasure? and if so what is pleasure? is pleasure a replenishment? no! the author states that pleasure with wisdom is the true pleasure. If you want true pleasure you have to enjoy everything in moderation. the is the lasting pleasure. so i think that pleasure mixed with wisdom is the true happiness.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of pain and pleasure relating to lack and replenishment, similar to the idea of happiness in book one of a blind man desiring sight and a poor man desiring wealth. If someone dealt with hunger and received food there has been replenishment because there was a lack of food, but if there was no lack of food, there will be no replenishment just like if a man can see he does not desire to see because he already can see. Also different people get pleasure from different things, that others might view as not pleasurable. I agree The relation to pleasure as being a new thing and as we grow familiar with it the pleasure decreases, pleasure is not continuous. It is stated that if two things bring pleasure, one will choose the thing that brings more pleasure, but if both activities lets say bring the same amount of pleasure, will they cancel each other out? The contemplative life is the best life because it bring happiness in itself, it does not lead to anything and it is self sufficient, a contemplative man does not need the praise and acceptance of other people to be happy, one who has money wants power and social acceptance so having money is not happiness in itself and same goes for political power, because they are dependent on other people or other factors, contemplation is not dependent on anything and brings happiness and pleasure in itself. If everything including money, power and action is taken away from man all he has left is contemplation, therefore does that mean that contemplation might serve as the base of all other goals and activities in relation to the pursuit of happiness?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Aristotle's Book X of Nicomachean Ethics, it can be assumed that that contemplation is the only part out of the three that can bring universal happiness. In other words, the divine happiness. The other two are just temporary and will never be satisfied. We need what true happiness is, mentioned by Aristotle, which is contemplation. It is much better than social acknowledgment or the desire for luxury, material and relaxation. Our lives have a lot more than that for us, but we think that these things give us the true pleasure or happiness and we are still unhappy or frustrated with life. We should always live the life of contemplation, according to Aristotle, this is the best for the soul and mind. It does not require any money or any give-and-take to live a contemplated life. it is the last option for wisdom and true happiness, by seeking knowledge, in other words, living the life of contemplation.
ReplyDeleteAristotle believes that nobody can achieve excellence in buiding up his character until he actually enjoys his life at best. It requires a long period of time to achieve contemplation because we make progress towards the good life but cannot fully achieve it unless we enjoy most of the goods. Pleasure is not just a good but something more that determines the goodness of anything. Good life is the pleasant life and to live this life we have to attempt for the maximum amount of pleasure we can achieve. Pleasure can give a good and bad end but the pleasure itself is not good or bad but the things which is attached to it. it can enhance the values of the good activities. Happiness is the enjoyment that is related to the virtue and comes together for the balanced development of our personality. So pleasure is also concerned with our physical aspect. Therefore contemplation turns out to be the extreme point of happiness. Contemplation is the best life because our mind is directed towards the eternal.
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