2400 years ago Aristotle found out how to be happy. His Nicomachean Ethics is an operating manual for a good life: What is good? First of all, what makes a thing a good thing? A good thing fulfils its unique function. A good knife is a knife that is good at cutting. A good eye is an eye that is good at seeing. Now, what makes a good human? To know what a human should be good at, we need to look at what is unique about humans: We have a soul that thinks and feels. So for us to live a good life means to have an excellent soul. And this excellence reveals itself in a clear intellect and a noble character. Let’s have a closer look at both and how we can achieve them: 1. The virtues of a clear intellect Today, we often reduce all our mental abilities to “intelligence”. Aristotle went a bit deeper and identified multiple theoretical virtues: Art (techne) is the ability to make things. Intelligence (nous) is intuitive insight into underlying truths of our world. Scientific knowledge (episteme) is our logical reasoning about the world. Prudence (phronesis) is our ability to make practical (moral) decisions. Wisdom … Continue reading Aristotle — How to live a good life