Jerome E. Jose                                                                                     Feb.06,2009 

BS-IS                                                                                                   Sir.Paul Pajo

Book: Contemporary Moral Problems  

            Library Reference: none

            Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0495553204/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1233910528&sr=1-1

                Quote: “Aristotle argues that all human beings seek happiness, and that happiness is not pleasure, honor, or wealth, but an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue. Virtue is of two kinds: moral and intellectual. Moral virtue comes from training and habit, and generally is a state of character that is a mean between vices of excess and deficiency".

                What I expect to learn: 

The meaning of happiness and virtue and the importance of it on our society.

                Review:

                        For Aristotle, Practical wisdom is essential to happiness or moral virtue. So, for Aristotle, moral virtue is a "fixed and permanent disposition of character" from which one deliberately chooses to do what is right "for its own sake" as an excellence of practical activity.  One's natural capacity for acquiring this disposition is achieved not so much by instruction as by practice.  It's sort of "practice makes perfect."  Practicing virtue develops the habit of behaving in the way in which virtuous persons behave.  Therefore, I agree with Aristotle that we have to be smart enough to decide and so things properly for it will affect our life later on.

                        Practical wisdom (understanding that virtue is the mean between extremes or moderation) leads to moral virtue when this living by moderation becomes a habit. Presumably, however, to say that happiness is the chief good seems boring, and a clearer explanation of what it is still desired. This might perhaps be given, if we could first determine the purpose of man. For just as for an artist, and, in general, for all things that have a function or activity, the good and the 'well' is thought to reside in the function, so would it seem to be for man, if he has a function.

What I've learned:

    I have now deeply understood the true meaning of Happiness and Virtue that Aristotle is talking about

 Integrative Questions:

1. To know deeply what is happiness is all about?
2. What is virtue?
3. What is moral virtue?
4. What are two kinds of virtue?
5. What is Aristotelian Mean?

• ·         Genuine happiness lies in action that leads to virtue, since this alone provides true value and not just amusement. Thus, Aristotle held that contemplation is the highest form of moral activity because it is continuous, pleasant, self-sufficient, and complete. According to Aristotle, Happiness is not just pleasure, honor, or wealth, but an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue.

• ·         Moral virtue comes from training and habits. For Example, courage as a mean between the extremes of rashness and cowardice.

• ·         Yes it’s possible. But only you must be a functional. As human beings, you must pursue excellence in virtue and with accordance to your human nature.

Discussions: 

• ·         A good man (they think), since he lives with his mind fixed on what is noble, will submit to argument, while a bad man, whose desire is for pleasure, is corrected by pain like a beast of burden. This is, too, why they say the pains inflicted should be those that are most opposed to the pleasures such men love. 

• ·         NO. Because for me, you don’t need to be a philosopher just to be happy. A truly wise man will know what is right. Self-realization, the awareness of one's nature and the development of one's talents, is the surest path to happiness.