Happiness is desirable in itself and never for the sake of something else. But honor, pleasure, reason, and every virtue we choose indeed for themselves, but we choose them also for the sake of happiness, judging that by means of them we shall be happy. Happiness, on the other hand, no one chooses for the sake of these, or, in general, for anything other than itself. Happiness then is something final and self sufficient. This leads Aristotle to his definition of the happy life as a life made perfect by the possession of all good things such as wealth, friendship, knowledge,

virtue – all these are constituent parts of happiness. And Happiness is the whole good of which they are component parts. That is how happiness is related to all other goods. This can be tested in a very simple way. Suppose someone asked you why you wanted to be healthy. You would answer by saying: because being healthy would enable you to do the kind of work you wanted to do. But then suppose they asked you why you wanted to do this kind of work? Or why you wanted to acquire some wealth? Or why you wanted to learn things? To all such questions your ultimate answer would be: because you wanted to become happy. But if you were then asked why you wanted to become happy, your only answer would be: because you wanted to become happy.

It can be agreed upon that virtues, and pleasures bring happiness because happiness is an end result of these things. But situations can change your definitions of what virtues and pleasures bring you happiness. Thus stating that happiness can not only be attained by having some virtues and pleasures, you must have possessions of all virtues and pleasure to be truly happy and stay that way. However does that imply that is you lack some virtues and pleasure, you can never be truly happy. For example: a poor man can never be truly happy, a sickly man can never be happy. Can anyone ever be happy? According to Aristotle the can be happy and lead a happy life. If a man adheres to virtues ad pleasures there is no reason for him not to attain happiness. Aristotle also makes a point about “moral virtues”: not lying, not taking a persons life, and other morally right things. Being morally virtuous is a way of leading a happy life. By not stealing, or killing, or lying; one can be content in knowing he is good thus bringing happiness. But can this possible to its absolute definition, can some lead his life without lie. If you are put in a situation where you must lie to save a life, would you be able to find happiness even though you are not morally virtuous? If this is possible then is disproves Aristotle’s belief that you must be “morally virtuous” to be happy. To further illustrate this point we shall create a realistic situation: Let say if you have a friend which is being chased by a mad man, and you promise to your friend that you will not reveal their h

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