The final end of human life is to flourish, to live well, and to have a good life.

” - Aristotle

Everyone is in the pursuit of the good life. We do such things like studying or working hard to
be happy and achieve the good life. However, people’s definition of the good life may differ
depending on their perspective and attributes in life. Some may define good life as
accumulating wealth, having power, being famous, or experiencing pleasure. If people have
different desires and perceptions of the good life, how can people achieve it?

Aristotle, an influential Greek philosopher whose work spans from natural sciences, theater,
logic, poetry, music, ethics, and linguistics describes the concept of the good life. He wrote
the Nicomachean Ethics in which he presents the theory of happiness and good life that is still
relevant today. According to him, the good life is more than those countless expressions of
what is good. The good life is characterized by happiness that comes from living well and doing
well a concept known as Eudaimonia. It comes from two Greek
words eu meaning “good” and daimon meaning “spirit.” Taken together, it generally refers to
the good life marked by happiness and excellence. It is a flourishing life filled with meaningful
endeavors that empower the human person to be the best version of himself.
For Aristotle, happiness defines a good life. The good life consists of things that are good for us
over the whole course of lifetime. These goods can be bodily goods like health, vitality, vigor,
and pleasure; it can be external goods- food, drink, shelter, clothing; and goods of the soul-
knowledge, skill, love, friendship, and self-esteem. Happiness is the ultimate end of human
action. It is not the kind of happiness that can be gained or lost in just few hours through
pleasures, rather, it is the kind of happiness that arises from being self-sufficient, from living a
life marked with excellence, from living up to your full potential as a human being and from
living life filled with virtue.
Virtue is particularly important in achieving the good life. It plays a significant role in living life
with excellence. It empowers a person to be good and do good. Virtue is cultivated by habit and
discipline and virtuous actions require discipline and practice. Aristotle classifies virtue into two
kinds: intellectual and moral virtues. Intellectual virtue owes its birth and growth to teaching,
while moral virtue comes as a result of habit.

“He is happy who lives in accordance with complete virtue and is sufficiently equipped with
external goods, not for some chance period but throughout a complete life.”
-Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics1101a10)

(Note: Please watch the video below to learn more about The Good Life.)