Happiness and virtues in Plato's Republic and Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics

Happiness and virtues in Plato’s Republic and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics
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The concept of justice preoccupied the minds of both Aristotle and Plato with both philosophers have similar and differing viewpoints on the virtue of justice among human beings. However, in the Republic Plato focuses on justice as a natural expression of human relation, and Aristotle viewed justice as the set of virtues expressed by peoples’ conception and their roles in a free society where there s equality. Even though, Plato proposes various definitions of justice through dialogues, carrying out duties without interfering with the rights of others was seen as the most relevant. This paper focuses on Plato’s views on happiness, its relation to virtues, as well as Aristotle’s view on how virtues help to achieve happiness and similarities between the two philosophers.
Plato viewed justice as one of the most important human virtues, and associated justice with the human soul. The human soul is in turn affected by reason, appetite and the spirit. To Plato, the case for social justice in the society should not be ignored since it is based on a social contract. Similarly, there is a need to focus on individual justice. In the Republic, justice occurs when people do good things as their souls are guided to do good things. Essentially when the soul is in harmony, then people actions are just and they act virtuously. The state of the soul plays a prominent role in determining whether actions undertaken are just, with individual justice then being a virtue ethical matter.
Despite acknowledging that every society requires justice, by defending the virtue Plato seeks to address the issue surrounding benefits to a just system. There are people who have no positive view about justice, whereby focusing on one’s own interests is viewed better rather than following rules about right and wrong. The role of philosophers in fostering just societies should not be ignored. It was through the work of philosophers that people were able to examine themselves and their actions. Essentially, people in the city were able to use principles of reason by incorporating philosophers in public discourse. As such, Plato was against the notion that acting unjustly was justifiable if it placed in a better position and increased their power.
Aristotle focuses on happiness and its relation to human life, with happiness being a goal for people as well as the main purpose of life. To highlight on the importance of happiness, Aristotle delved into cultivation of virtue. This view holds that people who are genuinely happy tends to fulfill mental and physical well. To Aristotle people need to maintain a balance between excesses, and this facilitated achievement of virtues through the middle way between harshness and sensual pleasure seeking was the basis upon which one could maintain a balance. Aristotle states that people do good things in order to achieve happiness, and this is the main reason for human existence.
To Aristotle the human soul allows one to express virtues as well as achieve happiness. It is as though every animate thing has a function in the world, with morality one of the main functions t...