Book 1 / Chapter 5
Paragraph 1 - Types of Life and the Pursuit of Happiness
Explanation - Part By Part
"Let us, however, resume our discussion from the point at which we digressed. To judge from the lives that men lead, most men, and men of the most vulgar type, seem (not without some ground) to identify the good, or happiness, with pleasure; which is the reason why they love the life of enjoyment."
Aristotle is bringing the focus back to the discussion about what constitutes "the good" or true happiness in human life. He observes that many people, especially those he considers to be more base or vulgar in their thinking (those who aren't particularly reflective or morally elevated), tend to equate happiness with pleasure. This is why they prioritize and pursue a life centered around indulgence and enjoyment, such as the satisfaction of physical desires or material pleasures. While he acknowledges there’s some reasoning behind this viewpoint, as pleasure is undeniably appealing and associated with feeling good, he subtly critiques it as a shallow or incomplete understanding of happiness.
"For there are, we may say, three prominent types of life- that just mentioned, the political, and thirdly the contemplative life."
Aristotle identifies three main ways that people approach life and define what it means to live well or to achieve happiness (eudaimonia, as he calls it):
1. The Life of Enjoyment (Pleasure): This is the life focused on the pursuit of pleasure and physical enjoyment. It’s often associated with more basic desires or material satisfaction, and Aristotle suggests many people, especially those of more "vulgar" inclinations, equate happiness with this type of life. He critiques this view by implying it reduces human life to something animalistic, since it focuses on bodily pleasures shared with beasts.
2. The Political Life: This life revolves around honor and achievement, often linked to public recognition or status. Those pursuing this type of life value being perceived as virtuous or accomplished by others. However, Aristotle argues that this is somewhat superficial because honor relies on the opinions of others, not something intrinsic to the person. It’s an external validation rather than a true expression of inner goodness or fulfillment.
3. The Contemplative Life: Aristotle briefly references a third and higher kind of life—the contemplative life—which will be explored further later in the work. This alludes to a life centered on reflection, intellect, and the pursuit of wisdom, which Aristotle holds in high regard compared to the other types.
Here, Aristotle sets the stage for his deeper exploration of what true happiness involves by categorizing these major life approaches. He implies that while people naturally fall into these categories, not all paths equally lead to the good life or ultimate human flourishing.
"Now the mass of mankind are evidently quite slavish in their tastes, preferring a life suitable to beasts, but they get some ground for their view from the fact that many of those in high places share the tastes of Sardanapallus."
Aristotle is saying that most people—what he calls "the mass of mankind"—tend to focus on pleasures that are basic or instinctual, comparing their preferences to those of animals. These pleasures are tied to immediate gratification, like eating, drinking, or physical comfort. He uses the phrase "life suitable to beasts" to suggest that this kind of life is centered solely on satisfying physical desires, without aiming for any higher or deeper purpose.
The reference to Sardanapallus—a king from Assyrian legend known for a life of excessive luxury and indulgence—serves to strengthen this point. Aristotle observes that even people in positions of power and influence (those "in high places") often pursue these same base pleasures, which gives ordinary people some reason to believe that this kind of life is desirable or "the good." These leaders, by their example, validate a view of happiness as mere indulgence in pleasure, reinforcing what Aristotle seems to consider a shallow understanding of what it means to live well.
"A consideration of the prominent types of life shows that people of superior refinement and of active disposition identify happiness with honour; for this is, roughly speaking, the end of the political life."
Here, Aristotle is analyzing different ideas people have about what constitutes a happy or fulfilled life. He observes that individuals who are more refined or socially accomplished—those who are actively involved in their communities or public life—often equate happiness with honour. In other words, they associate true fulfillment with being respected, admired, or recognized for their actions and contributions. This idea aligns closely with those who dedicate themselves to the political life, as in actively engaging with society and striving for status, influence, or public acknowledgment. For such people, honour is seen as the ultimate goal, or the "end" of living a politically active and engaged life.
However, Aristotle is laying the groundwork to question whether honour alone can truly define happiness, hinting that this idea might have limitations.
"But it seems too superficial to be what we are looking for, since it is thought to depend on those who bestow honour rather than on him who receives it, but the good we divine to be something proper to a man and not easily taken from him."
In this part, Aristotle critiques the idea of identifying happiness (or the ultimate good) with honor. He points out that honor is something that depends on external validation—it is given by others rather than being fully intrinsic to the individual. For Aristotle, the highest form of happiness should be something that is deeply tied to a person's own nature, something that truly belongs to them and cannot be easily taken away by others. Thus, he argues that honor is too shallow and unstable to be the ultimate human good.
"Further, men seem to pursue honour in order that they may be assured of their goodness; at least it is by men of practical wisdom that they seek to be honoured, and among those who know them, and on the ground of their virtue; clearly, then, according to them, at any rate, virtue is better."
In this part, Aristotle is reflecting on why people seek honor and what this reveals about their deeper values. He notes that people don't generally pursue honor for its own sake; instead, they often seek it as a way to confirm or validate their goodness or virtue. In other words, they want to be recognized by others—particularly by those who are wise or knowledgeable—and honored for possessing qualities like virtue or moral excellence. This implies that individuals value virtue more deeply than honor itself, as honor is seen as a recognition or proof of virtue, not the ultimate goal. Virtue, therefore, holds a higher and more intrinsic worth in their estimation.
"And perhaps one might even suppose this to be, rather than honour, the end of the political life. But even this appears somewhat incomplete; for possession of virtue seems actually compatible with being asleep, or with lifelong inactivity, and, further, with the greatest sufferings and misfortunes; but a man who was living so no one would call happy, unless he were maintaining a thesis at all costs. But enough of this; for the subject has been sufficiently treated even in the current discussions."
In this part, Aristotle reflects on the idea of a virtuous life as the ultimate goal, especially within the realm of the political life, but raises some concerns about its sufficiency in defining happiness or eudaimonia (the ultimate human flourishing).
He acknowledges that some might argue that virtue, rather than honor, is the true endpoint of the political life. Unlike honor—which depends on external recognition and others bestowing it—virtue seems more intrinsic and self-sufficient. However, Aristotle quickly points out that even virtue alone doesn't fully capture what it means to live a happy life.
His reasoning is that virtue can exist without active engagement in life. For example, simply possessing virtue isn’t enough if a person is inactive (e.g., asleep all the time or enduring prolonged periods of misfortune and suffering). Someone who is virtuous but asleep for life or stuck in unfortunate circumstances wouldn't generally be considered "happy" in the way we think of happiness. Thus, while being virtuous is deeply important, it doesn't automatically fulfill the qualification of a happy life if it’s not accompanied by meaningful action or conditions for flourishing.
Essentially, Aristotle is stressing that true happiness or eudaimonia involves more than just inner qualities like virtue; it must also involve activity, engagement, and circumstances that allow the individual to thrive in practice. This foreshadows his ongoing exploration of what happiness truly entails.
"Third comes the contemplative life, which we shall consider later."
Aristotle briefly mentions the contemplative life as the third major type of life people pursue, but he postpones a detailed discussion of it for later in the text. By referencing the contemplative life and setting it aside for now, he acknowledges its importance while signaling to the reader that it requires deeper exploration. This hints at its potential significance in his overall argument about the nature of happiness and the "good life," but for now, the focus remains on examining the other types of life, like the life of pleasure and the political life.