Philosophize This: Aristotle

This sounds easy!

Aristotle is one of those guys whose ideas have stood the test of time. You might not know his name, but chances are you've heard of some of his most famous concepts. For example, he was the first person to come up with the idea of "happiness" as the ultimate goal of human life.

Now, when I say "happiness," I don't mean just feeling good or having a good time. Aristotle's idea of happiness was a little more complex than that. He called it "eudaimonia," which is sort of like a state of being where everything is going right for you and you feel like you're living your best life.

So how do you achieve eudaimonia? According to Aristotle, it's all about cultivating virtues. Now, when I say "virtues," I don't mean being a goody-two-shoes or anything like that. Aristotle's virtues are more like habits or dispositions that allow you to act in accordance with reason. Some examples of virtues that he talked about include wisdom, courage, and justice.

Here's where it gets a little more relatable: Imagine you're in a really tough situation and you're not sure what to do. If you have the virtue of wisdom, you'll be able to think things through and come up with the best solution. If you have the virtue of courage, you'll be able to face that tough situation head on, even if it's scary or difficult. And if you have the virtue of justice, you'll be able to treat others fairly and do what's right, even if it's not the most convenient thing for you.

So far, this all might sound a little dry and academic, but stay with me, because I promise it gets more interesting. Aristotle believed that the best way to achieve eudaimonia was through a life of contemplation, which basically means thinking really deeply about things and trying to understand them as fully as possible. In other words, he was saying that the key to living your best life is to be curious and open-minded.

Now, if you're anything like me, you might be thinking, "Great, so I just have to be really smart and think a lot, and then I'll be happy." But that's not exactly what Aristotle was getting at. He believed that the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom was itself a source of happiness. In other words, just by trying to understand the world and your place in it, you'll start to feel more fulfilled and satisfied.

So there you have it: according to Aristotle, the key to living your best life is to cultivate virtues like wisdom, courage, and justice, and to constantly be curious and open-minded. Sounds easy enough, right? Just kidding, I know it's not that simple. But hey, at least now you know what you're aiming for. Good luck out there!