The Ultimate Goal in Life and a Meaningful Answer

Philosophy Final Exam
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Part I: The Ultimate Goal in Life
According to Aristotle, the ultimate goal in life is achieving the highest end good. He notes that the ultimate goal in life comes through the achievement of Eudaimonia or absolute happiness. The highest good is usually worth pursuing for any human being since it is what brings about the internal satisfaction that makes a person complete. Life satisfaction is an important component that Aristotle emphasizes for a happy life. This implies having no restrictions on what one can do or engage in. The ability to participate in an activity without fear of losing one's reputation is another aspect of a happy life.
People need to do things that make them feel real and free. Happiness comes from the actions that an individual does that, in the end, make them fulfilled and satisfied. This aspect implies that rational calculation leads to deliberation about personal behavior, which obstructs happiness. For fear of losing his reputation, he or she may avoid engaging in activities that make him happy. Therefore, for one to be happy or embrace happiness, one need not be too rational with all their actions.
One usually reaches it through the embracement of things that matter to them on a personal level, rather than what the larger public expects of them. An important element of being happy is unconditionally whole. This is why Aristotle dismisses riches as a source of happiness in life because it is no longer available. Moreover, when the riches fulfill their purpose, their goodness is impeded, and life does not continue to be as happy as it should be to the end. In general, Aristotle sees self-sufficiency and completeness as important aspects of a happy existence because they represent the culmination of actions.
Part II: The Only Kind of Meaningful Answer One Can Give, According to Nagel, About the Meaning of Life.
One of the biggest mysteries about life has been the meaning of life itself. For centuries, scholars and philosophers have come up with various theories trying to explain the meaning of life, but in most cases, they have always ended up being just that; theories. Nagel provides a deep analysis of the whole issue, essentially getting some way forward about it by identifying and separating subjectivity from objectivity. Through viewing the issue surrounding life from these two points of view, Nagel manages to gain some traction when it comes to cracking the iss...