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Running Head : HAPINNESS AND MORALITY

Hapinness and Morality : Views of Aristotle and John Stuart Mill A lot of philosophers have spoken about happiness . Many agreed that it is the ultimate goal of life , something of which many , if not all , would undeniably agree . A lot of philosophers have also spoken about morality and its role in society . Certainly , a society would function well when its people abide by its morals . A society that functions well will make its people happy and satisfied . But what role does happiness really play in morality ? Consequentially , a

lot of philosophers have also spoken both on happiness and morality . Among them were Aristotle and John Stuart Mills

Aristotle wrote about ethics , which were later known to be the Nicomachean Ethics . There , he argued that the supreme good that humans aim at is Happiness . He argued that people identify happiness with living well and doing well (Bk . I ch . iv . The problem , however , is that people disagree over what constitutes happiness . Common people identify good or happiness with pleasure and prefer a life of enjoyment He argued that these people are quite slavish in their taste ' and prefers a life suitable to beasts ' hinting that living a life purely of enjoyment lacks moral sense . People of superior refinement , on the other hand identify happiness with honor . In any case , Aristotle argued that pleasure and honor , among others , are only concepts which people seek for the sake of being happy , and happiness is the highest good because happiness is sufficient for itself and the end of action (Book I ch . vii . However , one could easily be misled that whatever makes us happy must be good . Aristotle raised the question of being good , the good which would eventually lead to happiness . Aristotle argues about what he considers good , and that being if an entity performs its function well . A musician is said to be good if he plays his music well . Similarly a man , not considering his occupation but just by being human , is considered good if he performs the functions of being human well . This function , according to Aristotle , conforms to rationality , as humans are distinguished from other animals because of this . He argues , then , that the supreme good , which is happiness , must be gained through activit[ies] or actions of the soul implying a rational principle ' and that any action is well performed when it is performed in accordance with virtue . These actions of the souls are what Aristotle claims to be morals . Furthermore , Aristotle said that pleasure is a state of soul (Book I ch . viii ) implying that moral acts could make people happy . He claims that virtuous actions are by nature pleasant , and said that the man who does not rejoice in noble actions is not even good (Book I ch . viii . However , Aristotle realizes that men need external pleasantries to do good and consequentially , to be happy . He claims that it is impossible , or not easy , to do noble acts without the proper equipment...