Aristotle on Pleasure
According to Aristotle pleasure is a good aspect of human existence. He qualifies that those who state that all pleasurable things or events are good are in err, just as those who say that all pleasure is bad. Pleasure for Aristotle is an aspect of human existence that guides action and can guide virtuous living. In Ethics Aristotle states that, "pleasure seems, more than anything else, to have an intimate connection with our nature" (Aristotle 318) Aristotle contends that pleasure seeking is natural human behavior and that some pleasures are greater than others, and oft compete with one another for attention. To Aristotle the moderate stand is the best, in that pleasure and pleasure seeking is natural and that any pleasure can be either good or bad, depending upon the context and the person, but that generally pleasure can only be defined as such when it meets the qualification of achieving good acts in a natural state.When Aristotle expresses the idea that the absolutes of expression, or the generalizing character of man form opinions about virtues, such as pleasure they are likely to create absolutes, which do not build upon reality, but instead detract form it. To those who say all pleasure is bead he says:
Moderation seems to be the stand of Aristotle on pleasure, somewhere in between the contrary idea of all pleasure being a bad thing for man and all pleasure being a good thing for man Aristotle hangs his idea of pleasure and pleasure seeking as a natural state of man seeking eudaimonia. (Aristotle 318) He goes on to discuss this concept with regard to depravity, which is often used as an example by those who call all pleasure bad. Actions, according to Aristotle are much more meaningful than assertions as they show the true character of man. But pleasure completes the exercise of faculties, and therefore life, which men desire. Thus, when a man who speaks ill of pleasure is seen at times to desire it himself, he is thought to show by the fact of being attracted by it that he really considers all pleasure desirable; for the generality of men are not able to draw fine distinctions. Thus, when a man who speaks ill of pleasure is seen at times to desire it himself, he is thought to show by the fact of being attracted by it that he really considers all pleasure desirable; for the generality of men are not able to draw fine distinctions. Aristotle clearly sets each side against the other and in so doing covers the view of pleasure as bad and the view of pleasure as good to be universals that are unobtainable and therefore inadequate to describe pleasure. The desire for pleasure we should expect to be shared by all men, seeing that all desire to live. (Aristotle 324) The idea of pleasure as the natural state of man is furthered by the ideas of Aristotle as he describes that there are variances in pleasure that are defined by the individual seeking such pleasure and that such is the natural state of man and of pleasure seeking. (Aristotle 329-330) This to Aristotle is proof that there are both good and bad pleasures, but that is only dependant upon the natural tendencies and wisdom of an individual who is by nature a seeker of pleasure. 10For life is an exercise of faculties, and each man exercises the faculties he most loves upon the things he most loves; e. the musical man exercises his hearing upon melodies, and the studious man exercises his intellect upon matters of speculation, and so on with the rest. Aristotle on the other hand gives the impression that a realistic view of pleasure is that which follows the more moderate stand that pleasure when it is contextually appropriate for a given person and when it helps achieve a good end or act it is good, while it can be conversely bad if it detracts form the natural state of any given man.
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