According to the text, a person who is mentally, physically, spiritually, financially, professionally, creatively, and socially healthy and well-rounded is considered fully functioning and completely happy. True happiness involves more than just mere existence but rather encompasses living life to the fullest. Aristotle advises individuals to prioritize working hard and pursuing their passion instead of solely concentrating on accumulating wealth since riches do not guarantee happiness. Additionally, striving for fame and public success should be avoided in the pursuit of happiness as genuine satisfaction stems from self-sufficiency.
Starting from infancy, happiness is a gradual process. A happy life entails meeting spiritual, physical, and social needs in a balanced and rational manner. According to Aristotle, achieving happiness involves consciously choosing to do what is right in every aspect of life. This happiness, in my opinion, is attained by leading a wholesome lifestyle, maintaining emotional well-being, pursuing a fulfilling career, cherishing loved ones, and obtaining sufficient wealth without arrogance.
I disagree with Aristippus’ philosophy that “pleasure is always good-regardless of its source.” Although it is acceptable to seek pleasure, not all pleasurable things are beneficial. For example, consider a sex addict who constantly pursues pleasure through sexual activities. Eventually, this person is likely to contract a disease or even die from a pleasure-induced illness.
Another instance could involve a drug addict who finds pleasure in the euphoria induced by drug use. However, excessive pursuit of this pleasure can lead to severe illness or even fatal consequences. In my opinion, there is always a repercussion when seeking pleasure, and it is not always beneficial. I believe our world would greatly improve if all our sources of pleasure were virtuous. Under such circumstances, the need for numerous laws and restrictions would diminish.
