Book 10 / Chapter 8
Paragraph 4 - The Necessity of External Prosperity for Contemplation and Happiness
Explanation - Part By Part
"But, being a man, one will also need external prosperity; for our nature is not self-sufficient for the purpose of contemplation, but our body also must be healthy and must have food and other attention."
Aristotle is saying that while contemplation (deep thinking or understanding) is central to happiness, humans also have physical needs that must be met because of our physical nature. We aren't purely intellectual beings; our bodies matter too. To engage in contemplation, we need to be healthy, have food, and take care of our basic physical well-being. In other words, a fulfilling life that allows for deep thought and virtue cannot ignore the practical realities of human survival and comfort.
"Still, we must not think that the man who is to be happy will need many things or great things, merely because he cannot be supremely happy without external goods; for self-sufficiency and action do not involve excess, and we can do noble acts without ruling earth and sea; for even with moderate advantages one can act virtuously (this is manifest enough; for private persons are thought to do worthy acts no less than despots-indeed even more); and it is enough that we should have so much as that; for the life of the man who is active in accordance with virtue will be happy."
Aristotle is saying here that you don't need an abundance of material possessions or power to be happy. While it's true that external goods—like food, shelter, and some basic level of prosperity—are necessary for living well, happiness itself doesn’t come from extravagant wealth or ruling over vast lands. Happiness stems from living virtuously and engaging in meaningful actions, not from excess.
Even someone living a relatively modest life can act virtuously and lead a fulfilling existence. In fact, ordinary individuals are just as capable, if not more so, of performing noble and meaningful deeds compared to rulers or despots. The core idea is that living in alignment with virtue is within reach for anyone who has the basics for survival, and it is this virtuous activity that ultimately makes life happy, not excessive riches or extraordinary status.
"Solon, too, was perhaps sketching well the happy man when he described him as moderately furnished with externals but as having done (as Solon thought) the noblest acts, and lived temperately; for one can with but moderate possessions do what one ought. Anaxagoras also seems to have supposed the happy man not to be rich nor a despot, when he said that he would not be surprised if the happy man were to seem to most people a strange person; for they judge by externals, since these are all they perceive."
Aristotle is referencing two ancient thinkers, Solon and Anaxagoras, to support his idea of what constitutes a happy life. Both essentially argue that happiness doesn't require extreme wealth or power.
Solon suggests that a happy person is someone who lives modestly—having enough external possessions to meet basic needs but not an excess—and focuses on performing noble and virtuous actions while living with self-control (temperance). In short, a balanced life, rather than one pursuing excessive material wealth, is more conducive to true happiness.
Anaxagoras, on the other hand, makes an interesting point: he believes that a truly happy person might appear odd or strange to others. Why? Because most people judge happiness based on external indicators—wealth, status, or power—essentially what they can see on the surface. They fail to understand that true happiness lies in an inner state tied to virtue, reason, and a life well-lived, rather than in material possessions or societal approval.
Together, these ideas reinforce Aristotle's argument that happiness is primarily about living virtuously and wisely rather than depending on wealth or power to cultivate it.
"The opinions of the wise seem, then, to harmonize with our arguments. But while even such things carry some conviction, the truth in practical matters is discerned from the facts of life; for these are the decisive factor. We must therefore survey what we have already said, bringing it to the test of the facts of life, and if it harmonizes with the facts we must accept it, but if it clashes with them we must suppose it to be mere theory."
Aristotle is saying that while the opinions of wise people might align with the arguments he has presented, that alone isn't enough to confirm their truth. What really matters is how these ideas hold up when applied to real-life situations. Practical experience and observable facts are the ultimate test of truth. In other words, if the arguments he has made about happiness and the good life match what we see in how people actually live and thrive, then we can accept them as valid. But if those arguments don't fit with real-world evidence, they are just theoretical ideas that lack practical value. This underscores Aristotle's focus on grounding philosophy in everyday experience.
"Now he who exercises his reason and cultivates it seems to be both in the best state of mind and most dear to the gods. For if the gods have any care for human affairs, as they are thought to have, it would be reasonable both that they should delight in that which was best and most akin to them (i.e. reason) and that they should reward those who love and honour this most, as caring for the things that are dear to them and acting both rightly and nobly. And that all these attributes belong most of all to the philosopher is manifest. He, therefore, is the dearest to the gods. And he who is that will presumably be also the happiest; so that in this way too the philosopher will more than any other be happy."
Aristotle here is emphasizing the extraordinary value of reason and intellect (what he calls the activity of the philosopher, or someone who seeks wisdom). He suggests that someone who uses their rational mind and works to develop it is in the best mental and moral state possible. Furthermore, Aristotle brings in the perspective of the gods, assuming they care about human affairs. If this is true, he argues, it would make sense that the gods would favor and reward reason because it is the highest, most noble part of human nature—something most similar to the divine and, therefore, most beloved by the gods.
Since philosophers dedicate themselves to the pursuit and cultivation of reason more than anyone else, Aristotle claims they are "most dear" to the gods. Following this train of thought, a philosopher—someone who honors reason and lives in accordance with it—also ends up being the happiest. Happiness, in this sense, comes from a life that aligns with what is best not only in humanity but also in the divine order. For Aristotle, this makes the philosopher's life the pinnacle of human flourishing.
In short: living a life of thoughtful reflection and rational excellence is not only the most fulfilling kind of life but also the one most in harmony with the universe's highest values.