Aristotle, afterward

Aristotle focuses on excellence, and how we can and should strive for it. I will try my best to analyze his work, for it was difficult for me to figure out his exact meanings behind each section. First, I believe that Aristotle makes the connection of being excellent (virtuous) to having a happy (fufilled) life. He delves into the idea that happiness of the soul is equivalent to excellence. I suppose that he would mean that if can activate what the desires of our soul entail, we will become virtuous.

In order to achieve this fufillment, we must become excellent not by natural dispositions but by habituation. In other words, we must first "engage ourselves in an activity" rather than let the activity force an engagement upon us. For example, we must force ourselves to read a novel out of interest rather than wait upon a teacher to tell us to.

Aristotle also writes multiple times about contrasting ideas such as pleasure and pain, deficiency and excess, and rashness and cowardice. I do not think that he speaks about one characteristic over the other symbolizing excellence, but rather than finding a just and moderate in between. However, he also believes that the excessive state is more contrary to moderation because it is these that we are more drawn to- thus create a natur-istic (?) habit. When we should create a habitual habit.

I do agree with Aristotle in that the closer we come to finding the characteristics of our soul, we will find fufillment. This is because I believe to act on intuition is greatest. Aristotle mentions that we must first engage on an activity to become excellent and virtuous. I agree with this, but we also must listen to ourselves and what can bring our soul to life.

I feel like there are a lot of contrasting ideas that Aristotle mentions, many of which were slightly confusing and will be much more effectful if discussed in class!