Life & Meaning

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Happiness is an activity of soul in accordance with complete excellence.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Happiness is an activity of soul in accordance with complete excellence.”​

“Happiness is an activity of soul in accordance with complete excellence.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 7 Simple Explanation:Aristotle defines eudaimonia (true happiness) not as passive joy, but as ​ongoing engagement of the mind and character. ​Complete excellence means harmonizing all virtues — courage, wisdom, justice — through daily choices, like a pianist mastering … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “The good we are seeking is human good and the happiness of man.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “The good we are seeking is human good and the happiness of man.”​

“The good we are seeking is human good and the happiness of man.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 7 Simple Explanation:Aristotle asserts that ​human flourishing (eudaimonia) is a unique telos — distinct from animal survival or divine perfection. It’s achieved through ​cultivating virtues (courage, justice) and ​exercising reason — a dance of ethical rigor … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Wealth is merely useful for the sake of something else.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Wealth is merely useful for the sake of something else.”​

“Wealth is merely useful for the sake of something else.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 5 Simple Explanation:Aristotle dismisses wealth as an ​instrumental good — a tool to achieve higher ends (health, education, community), not a goal itself. Like a hammer’s value lies in building homes, wealth’s purpose is to enable ​virtuous living (eudaimonia), … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Honour is too superficial to be the good we seek; it depends on those who confer it.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Honour is too superficial to be the good we seek; it depends on those who confer it.”​

“Honour is too superficial to be the good we seek; it depends on those who confer it.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 5 Simple Explanation:Aristotle argues that ​honour (praise, awards, social status) is an unstable, ​superficial good because its value hinges on others’ opinions. True ​human flourishing (eudaimonia) must be ​self-sufficient — rooted in … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “The life of enjoyment is slavish and fit only for beasts.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “The life of enjoyment is slavish and fit only for beasts.”​

“The life of enjoyment is slavish and fit only for beasts.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 5 Simple Explanation:Aristotle condemns a life chasing ​shallow pleasures (e.g., overeating, endless entertainment) as “slavish” — akin to animals driven by instinct. True ​human dignity, he argues, lies in ​self-disciplined virtue and ​rational pursuits, not passive indulgence. Real-World … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “To say that the supreme good is happiness is a truism; what is wanted is to explain what constitutes happiness.”​

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“To say that the supreme good is happiness is a truism; what is wanted is to explain what constitutes happiness.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 4 Simple Explanation:Aristotle rejects vague notions of happiness. True ​supreme good (eudaimonia) isn’t fleeting joy or luck, but ​lifelong excellence achieved through ​virtuous activity (courage, wisdom) and ​rational purpose … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Happiness is the highest of all realizable goods.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Happiness is the highest of all realizable goods.”​

“Happiness is the highest of all realizable goods.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 4 Simple Explanation:Aristotle defines ​happiness (eudaimonia) as the ultimate ​realizable good — the final aim that gives value to all other achievements (wealth, health, honor). Unlike fleeting pleasures, it requires ​lifetime cultivation of virtue, reason, and meaningful relationships. Real-World Connection:① ​Pursuing … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “The end of the master-art is always more desired than the ends of the subordinate arts.”

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “The end of the master-art is always more desired than the ends of the subordinate arts.”

“The end of the master-art is always more desired than the ends of the subordinate arts.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 1 Simple Explanation:Aristotle compares life’s goals to ​arts (skills/pursuits). ​Subordinate arts (e.g., cooking, carpentry) serve immediate needs, but the ​master-art (living virtuously) is the ultimate aim that gives all other goals meaning. Real-World … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “One swallow does not make a spring, nor does one day; and so too one day, or a short time, does not make a man blessed and happy.”​

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “One swallow does not make a spring, nor does one day; and so too one day, or a short time, does not make a man blessed and happy.”​

“One swallow does not make a spring, nor does one day; and so too one day, or a short time, does not make a man blessed and happy.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 7 Simple Explanation:Aristotle warns against mistaking temporary joys for true ​happiness (eudaimonia). Just as ​a single swallow’s arrival doesn’t confirm spring’s … Read more

Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Happiness is something final and self-sufficient, and is the end of action.”

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Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote: “Happiness is something final and self-sufficient, and is the end of action.”

“Happiness is something final and self-sufficient, and is the end of action.”​— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 7 Simple Explanation:Aristotle defines happiness (eudaimonia) as the ultimate goal that gives meaning to all other pursuits. Unlike temporary pleasures (e.g., eating dessert) or practical goals (e.g., earning money), happiness is “final” (nothing beyond it is needed) … Read more