Aristotle and Ethics
For this assignment you will write a 3-5 page paper on the following prompt:
In his discussion of ethics, Aristotle takes a different route than most modern thinkers. Rather than
establishing a set of rules we should follow (which is what Kant does), he focuses instead on the kind of
people we should be. To get his argument off the ground, he claims that the highest good—that at which
all people aim in their actions—is happiness. However, he does not define happiness in terms of our
affective state.
What is his definition of happiness? What is his definition of virtue? What is the
relationship between virtue and happiness? If Aristotle is right, what are the implications for your life?
Your paper must include:
• A title page and reference page formatted according to APA
• At least one citation from Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics in each paragraph that addresses the
first three questions of the prompt.
• A minimum of three pages of content formatted according to APA.
• Outside citations (citations from texts not assigned in class) are permissible but not required
