Nicomachean Ethics Books VIII and IX

Every human endeavor, every inquiry, every action and choice, is thought to aim at some good, and thus the good has been rightly declared to be that at which all things aim. While many goods are sought for the sake of something else, there exists a highest good, one that is pursued for its own sake, complete and self-sufficient, which is happiness, or more precisely, *eudaimonia* - a flourishing, a living well, a true fulfillment of human nature. This ultimate end is not a fleeting emotion or mere pleasure, but an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue, sustained over a complete life.

To discern the nature of this flourishing, one must first apprehend the distinctive function of a human being. As the eye has its function, and the hand its own, so too does humanity possess a unique activity. This function is none other than the activity of the soul in accordance with reason, for it is reason that distinguishes humankind. Therefore, living well, living a flourishing life, consists in performing this rational activity excellently, that is to say, virtuously.

Virtues themselves are of two kinds: intellectual and moral. Intellectual virtues, such as philosophic wisdom, understanding, and practical wisdom, are acquired primarily through teaching and developed through experience and time. Moral virtues, however, are not innate; they are cultivated through habit. Just as one becomes a builder by building, or a lyre-player by playing the lyre, so too does one become just by performing just acts, courageous by performing courageous acts, and temperate by acting temperately. It is through repeated actions that character is formed.

Central to moral virtue is the doctrine of the mean. Every virtue lies as a mean between two vices: one of excess and one of deficiency. For instance, courage is the mean between the rashness of excess and the cowardice of deficiency. Generosity stands between prodigality and stinginess. This mean is not an absolute midpoint, but one relative to the individual and the circumstances, requiring practical wisdom to discern correctly. To hit the mean is arduous, for it is easy to miss the mark, but difficult to find the precise balance that is both good and right.

For actions to be truly virtuous, they must be voluntary, chosen for their own sake, and proceed from a firm and unchangeable character. Deliberation, a process of reasoning about means to an end, precedes choice, which is a deliberate desire for things within one's power. It is not enough to merely perform a virtuous act; one must do so with knowledge, choosing the act for its intrinsic goodness, and from a settled disposition.

The role of pleasure and pain is also significant in the cultivation of virtue. Moral excellence is intimately concerned with these sensations. One does bad things on account of pleasure, and abstains from noble ones on account of pain. Therefore, a proper upbringing habituates individuals to delight in what is noble and to be pained by what is base. While pleasure accompanies virtuous activity when it proceeds unimpeded, it is not the ultimate good itself, but rather a natural perfection of activity.

Beyond individual virtues, the flourishing life also necessitates particular relationships and structures. Justice, a principal virtue concerning others, involves both the fair distribution of honors and goods (distributive justice) and the rectification of wrongs (corrective justice). Friendship, too, is indispensable for human life, providing a context for the practice of virtue. The highest form of friendship is that based on virtue, where individuals love each other for their inherent goodness and encourage one another toward excellence.

While the practical virtues are essential for living well in the human community, there is a higher, more divine form of happiness: the contemplative life. This life, devoted to theoretical wisdom and the pursuit of truth, is the most self-sufficient and most akin to the activity of the gods. Though few can sustain this life fully, it represents the pinnacle of human activity, engaging the highest faculty of the soul. Yet, for most, the morally virtuous life, lived in accordance with practical reason and civic duties, remains the most accessible and noble path to flourishing.

Ultimately, the study of individual ethics is incomplete without considering the broader political community. For humans are by nature political animals, and the full actualization of one's potential occurs within a well-ordered society. Legislation and proper education are crucial for guiding citizens toward virtuous habits and ensuring the common good, thereby intertwining the ethics of the individual with the flourishing of the polis.