Book 1 / Chapter 8
Paragraph 2 - Happiness and Virtue: Possession vs. Activity
Explanation - Part By Part
"With those who identify happiness with virtue or some one virtue our account is in harmony; for to virtue belongs virtuous activity."
Aristotle is aligning his idea of happiness with those who believe that happiness is connected to virtue or a specific virtue. He emphasizes that virtue is not just a passive quality someone possesses—virtue inherently involves action. In other words, being virtuous is not simply about having good qualities or potential; it’s about actively living out those virtues in real life.
"But it makes, perhaps, no small difference whether we place the chief good in possession or in use, in state of mind or in activity."
Aristotle is making an important distinction here. He's emphasizing that there's a significant difference between simply having something (possession) and actually using it (activity). Similarly, there's a difference between being in a certain state of mind—like having virtuous qualities—and actually acting on that virtue through your actions.
For example, you might possess knowledge or skill, but unless you apply it and use it actively, it doesn’t create any meaningful impact. Likewise, a virtuous person isn’t truly living a good life simply because they hold virtuous traits; they must also live out those virtues through their actions. This active engagement—acting well and doing good—carries more weight for Aristotle than passive possession or mere potential. The true "good" or flourishing life comes from activity, not just the capacity to act.
"For the state of mind may exist without producing any good result, as in a man who is asleep or in some other way quite inactive, but the activity cannot; for one who has the activity will of necessity be acting, and acting well."
Aristotle is distinguishing between simply having a quality or virtue, which he calls a "state of mind," and actively using that quality or virtue, which he calls "activity." He argues that just possessing a virtue, like courage or wisdom, isn’t enough on its own to produce results or contribute to the "good life." For example, if you're asleep or not doing anything, your virtues aren't actively shaping your life or the world around you—they're just sitting there, unused.
However, when you are actually engaging in virtuous actions or meaningful activities, you're putting those virtues to work, and that's what truly matters. Activity, unlike a dormant state of mind, necessitates action, and by acting in accordance with virtue, you are inherently doing good and living well. So, for Aristotle, the value lies not just in having good qualities, but in actively living them out through what you do.
"And as in the Olympic Games it is not the most beautiful and the strongest that are crowned but those who compete (for it is some of these that are victorious), so those who act win, and rightly win, the noble and good things in life."
Aristotle is using the Olympic Games as a metaphor to emphasize an important point about happiness and the good life. In the games, it’s not enough to simply have the qualities of beauty, strength, or even potential; victory comes to those who actually participate and compete. Similarly, in life, achieving the "noble and good things"—or living a truly fulfilling and virtuous life—requires action. It's not enough to merely possess virtue or potential for good; one must put it into practice through active living and doing. Happiness, then, isn't just about having good qualities or a good state of mind—it's about engaging with life in a meaningful, virtuous, and active way.