The Pursuit of Happiness and the Union of Aristotle and...

The Pursuit of Happiness and the Union of Aristotle and Genesis Two major schools of thought broadly influenced the development of the moral code of Western Civilization. The Judeo-Christian tradition gave us faith and God through the text of the Bible. The ancient Greeks gave us philosophical inquiry and the Good through the teachings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. In his Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle proposes that the Good is the highest end of man’s actions. Happiness is the Good because it is the only end man pursues with no other end in mind. A man obtains this highest end by living his life in a virtuous manner. In marked contrast, a careful reading of Genesis shows that, in the world of the Hebrews, the highest†¦show more content†¦The similarity between the English words God and Good draws an obvious parallel between them. While Aristotle’s concept of the Good has little to do with an all-powerful being, the words he uses when describing the Good connote something larger than mankind. Aristotle states: We reach the conclusion that the good of man is an activity of the soul in conformity with excellence or virtue (Ethics 17).1 In this quote, he defines the Good as a state of being, namely the best state of being towards which every human strives. In Genesis, the patriarchs strive toward God through the covenant he establishes with them. Faith in God and communion with him are the highest ends of the actions of the patriarchs: And Abram was ninety-nine years old and the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am El Shaddai. Walk with Me and be blameless, and I will grant My covenant between Me and you and I will multiply you very greatly’ (Gen. 17:1-3).2 This speech marks the beginning of the challenge God sets in front of his patriarchs; the challenge of the covenant, which, if they can live up to it, will make them truly righteous men. The covenant emphasizes communion with God and ultimate faith in God. These things, then, are the highest ends of the lives of the patriarc hs. Aristotle’s Good and the God of the Hebrews parallel each other as the ultimate goals of human action. God andShow MoreRelatedEntertainment Media Ethics : Music And Music Videos8248 Words   |  33 Pagesmarketers in a bid to become successful. Effects of nudity and sex in music video entertainment Promiscuity is so celebrated in today’s world that scarcely can one find an individual who disapproves of sexual intercourse bereft of socially recognized union, that is, marriage. It is now a â€Å"vogue culture† to, without restraint, indulge in sex with multiple partners. It is â€Å"abnormal† to be chaste in this sex-happy society (Agwanwo and Oladejo, 2015). Considering the current sexual saturation in music videosRead MoreSources of Ethics20199 Words   |  81 Pages48 Implications of Behavioural Genetics Research In Society: 50 How the genes influence behaviour and ethics: 52 2.3- PHILOSOPHICAL: 55 2.31- Contribution Of In Ethics By The Source Of Philosophical Systems: 55 2.32- Contribution of Aristotle: 57 2.33- Contributions By Other Important Philosophers: 58 2.34- Rights Theory: 64 2.35- Contribution By KANT: 65 2.36- Contribution By ROSS: 66 2.4- CULTURAL: 68 2.5- LEGAL SYSTEM: 71 2.6- CODES OF ETHICS: 74 2.61- Company