- Aristotle wants to go back and speak again of "good" and "happiness."
- The majority of people believe that a happy life is one of pleasure. And he totally gets that. Everyone likes to have fun.
- He outlines three types of lives: a life of pleasure, a political one, and the contemplative life.
- Those who live for pleasure are slaves to the senses; the political aim for honor.
- But even that seems superficial, since they're seeking the approval of their virtue in other people.
- Virtue is good, but it seems incomplete—you could be virtuous without trying (i.e. while sleeping) or when bad things happen to you.
- But does this really make you happy?
- So much for the political life. Aristotle promises us to talk about the contemplative life later.
- He adds a little postscript to talk about making money.
- Money is a good that's being sought for other purposes. It isn't an end in itself.
- But neither are the other things he's discussed in this chapter, though both lives of pleasure and civic-mindedness seem to be complete, ends in themselves.
- But don't be fooled.