Emily Ray

Aristotle is generally considered to be the father of many branches of modern philosophy, a title he well earns. His theories range from views on the ideal human function to the best way for a person to be virtuous. Within one of his works, Nicomachean Ethics, he examines what it means to live a good life, and to be a virtuous person. This paper will set out Aristotles arguments for the virtuous agent and his various other ideas that lie primarily within the first two books of Nicomachean Ethics. Aristotles argument begins with a basic definition of human nature. In accordance with the views of his early predecessor Socrates, he presents the idea that all human action and decisions are pointed toward the good. This means that any time a person chooses a course of action, they are aiming for what they perceive to be the best possible outcome. Though they may not always achieve the good, the fact remains that it would be against fundamental human nature to choose something that they consciously acknowledge to be bad (book 1, chapter 7). His other main claim about the fundamental nature of human beings is in relation to the ideal function that all human beings perform. The function of an item or being is the unique process that it undergoes as an integral part of its identity. For example, the function of a plant is to undergo photosynthesis and thus survive. Similarly, animals have the primary function of keeping themselves alive, through means of hunting and fighting. Aristotles belief is that humans must have a higher function than animals or plants, something unique to our species. He claims that the ideal human function is acting with reason, as opposed to the basic instincts that drive animals to act. After making this claim, Aristotle argues that happiness is achieved by fulfilling

Emily Ray the human function, though the reasoning behind this does not become clear until one examines his idea of living excellently. To live excellently, in Aristotles mind, is to execute the human function excellently. This means that the person who lives the best life is one who uses reason and rationality in every part of their life. Not everyone can hope to achieve this goal, however. If a person is born without rational capacity, they cannot have hope of living life excellently. Similarly, a young person cannot be truly virtuous, because they have not yet had enough experiences to rationalize correctly in all

situations. This leads to an important claim that must be noted before continuing on Aristotles train of thought, and that is the correlation between reason and virtue. The idea is that, in any given situation, the rational choice would always be to act virtuously. Though the truly virtuous choice may not be the readily apparent one, Aristotle believes that the person who is living excellently will be able to discern it. This leads to the claim that the best way to be virtuous is not to imitate virtuous acts, but to instead try to be more like the virtuous agent (book 2, chapter 4). This is an important distinction, because it once again highlights the importance that Aristotle places on rationality. He acknowledges that the best thing to do in a specific situation may not be to follow standard practices of virtue. For example, it is generally not virtuous to lie, but if that lie were to save a life, then it would be more virtuous to tell the lie. Essentially, Aristotle wants to make it clear that rationality leads to living the most virtuous life, and he will follow this idea by explaining what course of action leads to the happy life.

Emily Ray

The good life, wherein a person achieves happiness, is available to those who act with reason, and eventually with virtue. Aristotle makes it clear that simple pleasure is not what leads to the good life. This ties back into the idea of the human function; because humans share simple pleasures with animals, they cannot be the source of our true fulfillment. Similarly, achieving honor is not what makes the good life, unless that honor was gained because the person was truly virtuous (book 1, chapter 5). The person who is fulfilling the human function excellently will be made happy by the exercise of virtue, because their reason will allow them to see that it is the best possible course of action (book 1, chapter 9). It is important to realize at this point in Aristotles argument that happiness is not a state, as it tends to be viewed in modern culture, but it is instead a property of the character (book 1, chapter 7). For example, the lover of fancy cars will be made happy by a new BMW, illustrating something about their character. In this same sense, the lover of excellence will be made happy by living life excellently, acting with reason and virtue. In totality, Aristotles arguments within Nicomachean Ethics are centered upon reason and its importance in living the good life. He provides stipulations on who can hope to become a truly virtuous person, and acknowledges that outside forces can always act upon someone to prevent them from achieving happiness. By fulfilling the human function excellently and acting as a virtuous agent instead of simply following the rules of virtue, an individual can succeed in the most Aristotelian sense, and reach what he deems to be the most satisfying form of happiness.