Aristotle’s understanding of human flourishing and success

Aristotle (384-322 BC) addressed human flourishing in his work, “Nicomachean Ethics.” The key idea of “Nicomachean Ethics” is that the goal of human life should be happiness (in Greek “eudaimonia).” For Aristotle, happiness means “leading the good life” or “flourishing.” It means that the concerned person has attained steady, overall well-being, not just a fleeting pleasure. According to “Nicomachean Ethics,” eudaimonia requires cultivating intellectual and moral virtues day after day. What did Aristotle mean by “intellectual virtues”? He meant wisdom and understanding developed through education and reflection. On the other hand, moral virtues such as courage, generosity and justice are acquired through regular practice. In order to flourish, you should embrace virtue and calibrate your behaviour. Aristotle defined virtues as the “golden mean” between too extremes. For example, the virtue of courage is a mid-point between the vices of recklessness and cowardice. It takes care and determination to find the virtuous middle point. If you strike the right balance, said Aristotle, you will enjoy a virtuous and flourishing life; happiness will be yours because it is a direct consequence of virtue. The Aristotelian theory of happiness is based on action from beginning to end. It requires the subject to define goals, weigh alternatives, discard evil and laziness, and do what is right. The recommendations given by Aristotle need to be grasped and practised. In order to attain happiness, it is not sufficient to sit down and meditate. It is not enough to wait for events to take place. You’ll need to place yourself in the driving seat and choose the right direction. In his metaphysics, Aristotle emphasised that every creature has a purpose (“telos” in Greek). In the case of plants, animals, and natural phenomena, we are talking about simple goals such as finding food, reproducing, or flowing downwards (like the water in rivers). For humans, the goal is eudaimonia. How do you achieve happiness according to Aristotle? He recommended living in accordance with nature and developing one’s potential. Human beings cannot attain happiness by remaining static. Mentally healthy individuals long for challenges, adventure and excitement. They enjoy life more intensely when they are pursuing great goals and overcoming difficulties. It’s essential to human nature to define and pursue ambitious goals. Nonetheless, Aristotle recognised the crucial role played by social relationships in human happiness; that’s because humans are social beings and self-actualisation usually requires plenty of social interaction. For Aristotle, an ideal society must allow citizens to flourish by letting them free to pursue their initiatives. On the contrary, all types of totalitarian governance (tyranny, oligarchy, mob rule) will prevent citizens from attaining happiness. For what concerns success (wealth, friendships, popularity, etc.) the recommendations given by the “Nicomachean Ethics” are similar to those given for happiness. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/aristotles-understanding-of-human-flourishing-and-success/