Final answer:
The correct answer is True, Aristotle believed that bodily and external goods are important for achieving happiness, or eudaimonia, alongside the cultivation of virtues. External goods support individuals in leading a complete life and dealing with misfortunes, while friendships, especially those based on character, play a crucial role in a person's flourishing.
Step-by-step explanation:
True or false: For Aristotle, bodily and external goods are presuppositions for happiness? The answer is true. According to Aristotle's ethical views, particularly as outlined in Nicomachean Ethics, happiness, or eudaimonia, is the ultimate human goal, achieved through the cultivation of virtues. However, Aristotle understood that external goods, such as friendships, wealth, and bodily health, also play a role. While the development of virtues is central for someone to flourish, external goods are also important as they help people deal with hardships and contribute to living a complete life.
Aristotle's ethics consider the purpose of human life to be flourishing, and that for an individual to truly achieve eudaimonia, they must live a virtuous life. Yet, he acknowledges that these virtues need to be complemented by other goods. He also heavily emphasizes the role of social relationships and friendships in achieving a flourishing life. Perfect friendships, which are based on an appreciation of one's character, are an intrinsic good and construct the fabric of a fulfilling existence.
To better understand Aristotle's position on happiness and the role of external goods, it's critical to explore the nature of eudaimonia and the importance Aristotle places on both virtuous development and tangible aspects of life such as wealth, health, and social bonds. While virtues form the foundational qualities for attaining eudaimonia, Aristotle also appreciated the fact that external goods significantly influence one's ability to thrive and respond to life's adversity.