Aristotle's philosophy of human life

Abstract

Aristotle's philosophy of human life

In recent years, ethics has left the purely academic setting and has entered the fields of public administration, business, environment, politics, and so forth. Speaking very generally, ethical writings attributed to Aristotle, have come down to us in three forms, known respectively as the Nicomachean, the Eudemian, and the Great Ethics. In this paper, I am focusing on a character required for a person to achieve happiness in his or her everyday conduct and thereby to live a virtuous life. I will outline what is the ultimate aim of Aristotle's ethical human life or virtuous life. Ethical training, according to Aristotle, is an indispensable foundation for political life, or rather perhaps for justice, virtues and citizenship. Today, the demand in politics requires that boundaries of personal morality be redefined. This paper is then concerned with the philosophical aspects of the morality of public and political life. I will set out what constitutes good (bad) and right (wrong) behaviour in human life and why.