Philosphy

INTRODUCTION

The meaning of life is leading the good life. The good life is a state of being well hence doing well in being well. This state of well-being according to Aristotle is realised when a person demonstrates total virtue. However, the good life is different for each individual because it comes from living life according to one’s own virtues. The exercise of these virtues facilitates a movement towards certain goals which are virtuous. The awareness of these goals paired with the exercise of the virtues result in the perfect exercise of excellence which is absolute. This means that ultimate well-being transpires when an individual’s actions are all virtues and the goals are all virtuous, this suggests that in order to live a good life there must be no action which is pointless for the sake of virtue.

To explain what an Aristotelian approach to the meaning of life entails, it is imperative to first, clarify Aristotle’s interpretation of virtues. Secondly, the nature of virtues as a practice, as the narrative order of a single human life and finally as a moral tradition, according to Alasdair MacIntyre. Finally, the Aristotelian approach will be compared with the success story approach to the meaning of life in order to see why the Aristotelian approach is better in achieving the good life as a meaningful life.

VIRTUES: ARISTOTLE

A virtuous person does not concern themselves with the question of ‘What should I do?’ This is because we are not born with specific virtues, hence the fundamental question is ‘What sort of person should I become?’ Human beings are characterised by the pursuit for what is good so the person one needs to become is a virtuous person. Those who lead a virtuous life attain a state of well-being. This state of well-being according to Aristotle is achieved through the practice of virtues. According to Aristotle (1981:149), we acquire virtues they are not innate, this means that people are not inherently good or bad but rather people...