Question

What is happiness according to Aristotle, and how is this different than the utilitarian's conception of happiness?

a) According to Aristotle, happiness is the pursuit of pleasure and the absence of pain, similar to utilitarianism.
b) Aristotle defines happiness as the highest good, achieved through moral virtue and eudaimonia, which differs from utilitarianism's focus on pleasure.
c) Aristotle and utilitarianism both consider happiness as purely subjective and individualistic.
d) Aristotle's view of happiness aligns perfectly with the utilitarian concept of happiness through utility maximization.

Answer 1

According to Aristotle, happiness is the highest good achieved through moral virtue and eudaimonia. This is different from utilitarianism's focus on pleasure.

Step-by-step explanation:

Aristotle defines happiness as the highest good, achieved through moral virtue and eudaimonia, which differs from utilitarianism's focus on pleasure. According to Aristotle, eudaimonia is not just a fleeting emotional state, but rather, it is better understood as flourishing. He believes that we achieve eudaimonia by cultivating virtues, which are habits of character that help us make good choices and lead fulfilling lives.