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Aristotle on Human Nature

Aristotle in his work Nicomachean Ethics gives us an insight into human nature and the needs of an individual.
He reflected on the notion of happiness as part of the goal of all individual.
He gives a study of men’s basic nature.
He examined the behavior of various people in everyday life.
He noticed that people consider “good” as having one common characteristic, which is happiness.

It is easy to see that we desire money, pleasure, and honor only because we believe that these goods will bring comfort.
It seems that all other goods are a means towards obtaining other ends, while happiness is always an end in itself.

Happiness is an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue.
Happiness, as a characteristic of men’s telos is a fulfillment of their natural capacities and satisfaction found in them.
In performing his activities well, a man realizes the sense of well-being.
This notion is significant as an individual is happy in doing his task well.

“What is the good life for people and what does it mean to be human?”
Aristotle’s answer is to be found in the well-known formula called the doctrine of the mean.
Virtue lies in a middle path between excess and deficiency. Aristotle discusses the moral virtues.
They are not natural to man in the sense of being inborn, but like any other skill, are required and improved by exercise.

Aristotle states,“ for the things we have learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them for example, men become builders by building and lyre-players by playing the lyre, so too we become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts”.

In analyzing the nature of men, Aristotle speaks of the many kinds of objects to realize happiness.
Excess of any kind takes away happiness leading away from the virtue.
In the side of deficiency, one sees the same fact.
A balance has to be maintained and there is no fixed rule. When man stays on the middle path, his human nature is developed in the right moral way.

The important message of Aristotle is that are various correct ways of living for different people. One cannot tell prior to actual experimentation, by the use of reason alone, which is the correct way of living for someone.
This can be ascertained only by experimentation and by trial and error to reach a middle path.

Man is not only a rational being but social in nature. His potentiality requires a social world like family, community, city and state.
His doctrine shows society is necessary in developing men’s nature.
These virtues are a matter of habit and must be practiced over a lifetime.
It is not enough to have skills and abilities but one should know how to use them.

Many people miss the mean because of the nature of greed for material goods and excessive desires.
This is weakness found in human nature of the common man Aristotle teaches the merit is having simple wants.
Man’s inner nature is to realize that he is a part of an organic whole a community and society.
According to Aristotle, the purpose of human life is found in a sort of performance or activity that exhibits excellence.

Aristotle’s philosophy has been of help in understanding both the strength and weaknesses of human nature.
Man seeks to increase his desires and instead of gaining happiness, he is in misery and confusion.
Aristotle’s philosophy teaches one to be moderate in his actions.
By performing one’s duties, obligations and activities of group he is also fulfilling his human function and basic nature.
It matters how well one has lived up to the full potential as human being by making the right choices.