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Essay on Five Philosophy Essay Questions
Q1. Thoroughly describe the is/ought problem in philosophy as regards to Aristotle. Then go into his argument about the final end of human nature. Explain what he means by saying that virtue is a necessary condition for happiness. Explain what he means by saying that virtue is not a sufficient condition for happiness.
Ans:
Aristotle is generally regarded as one of the most influential ancient thinkers in a number of philosophical fields, including political theory. Aristotle was born in Stagira in northern Greece, and his father was a court physician to the king of Macedon. Aristotle represents for most of us an icon of difficult or abstruse philosophical thinking; to know Aristotle often provokes hushed whispers even from highly educated people. For all this reputation, though, Aristotle is actually quite an easy read, for the man thought with an incredible clarity and wrote with a superhuman precision. It really is not possible to talk about Western culture (or modern, global culture) without coming to terms with this often difficult and often inspiring philosopher who didn't get along with his famous teacher, Plato, and, in fact, didn't get along with just about everybody (no-one likes a know-it-all).
We can say without exaggeration that we live in an Aristotelean world; wherever you see modern, Western science dominating a culture in any meaningful way (which is just about everywhere), Aristotle is there in some form conception of happiness stands the Aristotelian tradition which argues that happiness as the end of humankind is attained only in its complete form by both virtue, which is primary, and by the possession of a sufficient supply of "external goods that are not infallibly secured by virtue, and are vulnerable to good and bad fortune. Since happiness is complete, it requires a complete life; and a complete life requires a sufficient supply of external goods in addition to virtuous action....................
