# The Highest Good and Happiness explained — Nicomachean Ethics

> Chapter companion for Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle.

## What happens

This chapter explores the nature of the highest good, which is universally called happiness, though opinions differ on what happiness consists of—pleasure, wealth, fame, or an absolute good. It emphasizes the importance of starting from what is known to us and the necessity of moral training for studying politics and ethics.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Good and Happiness

Central theme; the chapter defines the highest good as happiness and examines differing opinions on its nature.

### Practical Wisdom and Reason

Discussed through the method of starting from what is known to us and the need for moral training to study politics.

## Character check-ins

### Aristotle

Author and primary voice; discusses the aim of politics and the nature of happiness.

### Plato

Referenced for his distinction between proceeding from or to starting-points.

## Key lines

> all knowledge and all purpose aims at some good, what is this which we say is the aim of Politics; or, in other words, what is the highest of all realizable goods?

Every pursuit and study seeks some good; the ultimate good of politics is the highest achievable good.

_Aristotle frames the inquiry into the highest good as the central question of politics._

> the masses and the men of culture alike declare that it is happiness, and hold that to 'live well' or to 'do well' is the same as to be 'happy.'

Most people agree that the highest good is happiness, equating living well and doing well with being happy.

_Universal agreement on the name of the highest good, but disagreement on its substance._

> we must start from what is known to us . And on this account nothing but a good moral training can qualify a man to study what is noble and just

We must begin from what is familiar to us, which requires moral education to properly understand ethics and politics.

_Emphasizes the necessity of character formation for philosophical inquiry into justice and nobility._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/nicomachean_ethics_se/chapters/iv
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/nicomachean_ethics_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/nicomachean_ethics_se/chapters