Evoldahc on Nicomachean Ethics

1. How often do you make an effort to practice your strengths and virtues? (A virtue is a trait you cultivate. Ex: patience, generosity kindness). Are these traits key to a happy life? Discuss.

I make it a point to always keep an eye on my efforts in practicing my strengths and virtues. In as much time and as many situations possible, I always do my best to cultivate my virtues. For example, I  try as much as possible to keep a cool head and be patient no matter how stressful and annoying the situation is, albeit there are times when I fail in doing so.

In my own opinion, Virtues and strengths are the keys to a happy life but not until they are exercised and/or cultivated. I believe so because like what Aristotle wrote in his Nicomachean Ethics, real happiness is that which reflects goodness or virtue and which is only achieved through the exercise of such virtues. A person can never be truly happy even if he has goodness/virtue in him, unless he acts on that virtue he has. The virtue of patience, courage, generosity, and friendship can never lead to a happy life without being acted out. So in the end, having these virtues may lead to a happy life if coupled with action.

2. For some, happiness relies on money. In some cases, hacking means money. Would you do hacking it if its outcome is a sure happiness of your family? What particular Aristotle theory contradicts this concept? Discuss.

I wouldn't do hacking even if its outcome is a sure happiness of my family because doing so will not give my family and I real happiness. Such an act, in my own opinion, contradicts with three of Aristotle's theories on happiness. The theories such action contradicts are as follows:

"Happiness is not pleasure, nor is it virtue. It is the exercise of virtue."

It is very obvious why the aforementioned act contradicts the above theory of Aristotle. Hacking for happiness satisfies the pleasures of my family and I, but as mentioned in the given theory "Happiness is not pleasure..." Moreover, it is an obvious fact that hacking is not virtuous nor does it correspond to the exercise of virtue. It is an act against virtue, thus it is an act against real happiness because as mentioned in the theory "happiness is the exercise of virtue." 

"Happiness is the perfection of human nature. Since man is a rational animal, human happiness depends on the exercise of his reason."

Hacking for money contradicts man's exercise of his reason, and reason is human nature and "happiness is the perfection of human nature," therefore hacking contradicts happiness. Hacking for happiness did not and will never go any closer to real happiness because real happiness is achieved through the exercise of one's reason in determining the goodness and correctness of one's actions in the pursuit of real happiness. Hacking for money, will never be an act of goodness nor a correct act because even if it gives happiness, so to say, to the hacker and his family, it does not bring about the welfare of all the parties involved. Real happiness can only be achieved using good and right reason.

"Happiness requires intellectual contemplation, for this is the ultimate realization of our rational capacities."

This is similar to that of the previous theory in that this theory asserts that for one to attain real happiness one must contemplate using his rational capacities in determining if the happiness he aims for is the real happiness. Sadly, hacking for money is an act that has not gone through much intellectual contemplation in the sense that it does not meet what is required in achieving real happiness, which is goodness.

In the end, to achieve Happiness, that is real happiness, one must act in line with virtue and good reason.