Achieving excellence in terms of Aristotle's "Nichomachean Ethics"
Before actually focusing on the main details of Aristotle's Argument, we must
pay careful attention to the opening remarks he makes in Book I about the nature
of his inquiry. The first important point that he stresses is that the study of
the character of human beings is dependent on what a human being is. Aristotle
states that that a human is not a "man that lives in isolation, but a man
that also lives with parents, children, wife, and friends and fellow citizens
generally, since man is by nature a social and political being". Humans, in
other words, derive their identity and accordingly their moral purposes from
their participation in their community, from the interaction with their parents,
ancestors, friends, customs, institutions and laws. Because of this, every
ethical uncertainty or question must be resolved by taking into account the
essential and political basis of human life. If one is to discuss what it is
that makes a man good, we have to really be considering which decisions will
actually benefit or make the society good. Aristotle sees that individual as
being a part as a part of a large and complex group of people with member of all
sorts of capabilities. The purpose of each individuals life is evaluated in
relation to the other members of the community. Although different communities
live by different rules and strive for different "goods", is possible
to reach an understanding of what moral excellence is in any community by
studying what it is that constitutes effective community membership. Another
important observation made by Aristotle is the fact that to study human ethics,
we must focus on the world around us. We must focus on the traditions of our
community, the accepted theories of earlier philosophers, especially those most
famous for their wisdom. These theories we must study, not so as to find
inconsistencies in them, but to try to discover what it is they have in common
and how they can affect our understanding of what the best way to live is.
Aristotle also underlines the fact that everything we learn from the
observations we make will be nothing more than an approximate approach for
dealing with ethical questions. Ethics is not an exact science. One last
introductory point is that this approach is intended only for those who already
have some sense of virtue instilled in them. To understand some of the
principals of moral conduct requires some existing sense of virtue. Aristotle
then proceeds to explain that all human activities have a specific goal or end
to them. Although not much proof is given to back this up, it is essential to
his argument because it infers that the nature of goodness is linked to some
final destination. The excellence of humans is linked to their growth towards to
some realization of his best nature. Once he has established the notion that all
human activities are directed by some final goal, Aristotle proceeds to define
the final goal in human life should be. He searches for the most important
activity that we pursue for its own sake, something above all other goods. This
final goal is happiness. He gives a sense that happiness is derived from
success. A full happy life will include success no only and necessarily for
oneself, but for all of one's family as well. We do not achieve happiness by
actively seeking it, but rather by following the pursuit of all the other goods.
Aristotle then proceeds to explain that every object, living or dead has a
specific function for which it is designed. The excellence of a person will be
derived by how well he fulfills his function. Sine a human being is designed
above all to be a social and political being, then excellence in humans should
be measured by how well they can carry out their political or social roles. By
putting together all of the above notions, Aristotle offers his listeners a
fundamental moral principal. A good man is one whose life, which should consist
of trying to achieve set goals, is in conformity with excellence or virtue. It
is understandable that there is a difference between being successful and being
morally good. But the truth is that success must be evaluated in how well it is
carried out in a social environment. Since human beings are social beings, their
excellence must be rated in social terms. Human excellence is a measure of how
well one can contribute to their society. Personal pleasure, honor, or money
cannot be the final end to human life. Although happiness is achieved by
striving for these goals, human beings would not be carrying out their function
correctly if they were to seek these goals for no one else but themselves. It is
in striving to attain these goals for one's society that humans achieve
excellence. I am a firm supporter of putting other people's needs before my own
when making an important decision. Yet this is not a completely unselfish
action. My own happiness is derived from instilling happiness in the lives
others.