An Interpretation of ¨On Happiness¨ by Aristotle

What makes a person completely happy? Is it being in a reliable relationship or is it finding a place in a world? According to Aristotle, every action that people do or do not do is ultimately made in our own blind search for happiness. Many people will search their entire lives for what they think will make them happy, and the some of them will be able to find what they have desperately been searching for. The others will end up becoming victim´s to a false happiness that they themselves will create or the world will do it for them. Although it is clear that not everyone can find happiness, there are certain aspects that can make or help you find happiness according to Aristotle. In the short story ¨On Happiness¨, Aristotle has come up with a sort of formula that can help somebody achieve happiness.
In ¨On Happiness¨,Aristotle uses happiness as the ¨highest good¨ (Aristotle 7) in order to persuade us that happiness can come from other goods or actions. Since people do things that will benefit themselves in the end, Aristotle was able to tie certain possession to happiness. Aristotle states that ¨good birth, plenty of friends, good friends, wealth, bodily excellence as health, beauty, strength, large stature, athletic powers, together with fame, honor, good luck, and virtue.¨ (Aristotle 7) are seen as aspects of life that can make someone happy. This means that people rely on certain ¨goods¨ in order to dictate whether someone is happy or not, but these goods alone are not what make people happy. These so called goods are only indicator of what can happen when a person possessive happiness, and these goods can help show others how powerful happiness is and what can come from it.

The main point of ¨On Happiness¨ was for Aristotle to explain that in order to have happiness, a person needs to possess a function or a purpose. Aristotle says that finding happiness is ¨best done by first ascertaining the proper function of a man¨ (Aristotle 7). To understand the ¨proper function of a man¨ we need to look at the function that Aristotle could potentially be talking about. A function is being able to do work that fits into a certain job, so the proper function for someone can come about through what they are good at and how they can do something they love with that gift. An example of this type of function can be seen in a person good with tools becoming a mechanic ora repair man. Imagine a kid growing up and building things with his dad. Then as he gets older he starts to become really good at fixing cars and eventually becomes a mechanic. Becoming a mechanic shows us that he was placed in the proper function, because of his ability to be able to handle tools and fix objects that are broken. However, if he were placed into an occupation that dealt with cooking, he would of not been placed into the correct function due him not possessing the skills or the desire needed to be a chef.

Even though I agree with Aristotle's interpretation of happiness and that it comes from a person knowing and fulfilling their proper function, I do not agree that all human actions are solely committed to benefit ourselves alone. There are many people throughout the world whose happiness is tied to the happiness of others; by helping others, these people experience a sense of joyfulness.  In Christianity, Jesus gave us the Golden Rule, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and He expects His followers to obey. Although humans are not perfect, finding our own happiness in the happiness of others can be seen in the little things, whether it is smiling at someone that you have never met or helping an older lady carry her groceries to the car. These tiny acts of kindness seem like nothing in our heads but can make someone very happy.

All in all Aristotle was pretty spot on when it comes to humans searching for happiness. The search for happiness always has to deal with a person finding their niche in the world or there proper function, however not everyone is able to do this. A man that is not placed in his proper function will become miserable and will never be able to find happiness. Even though not everyone will experience happiness, it does not mean that they should give up searching for it. Even with the slightest hope that happiness can be achieved, people need to take it. Happiness is more than just an emotion; it is a way of life and without out it people will be stumbling in the dark looking for a light that they will never obtain.