Aristotle's theory and self-sufficiencyAristotle's theories begin by expressing happiness as the number one importance in life. The only way to achieve this absolute happiness is to be a good person and commit good deeds. In Aristotle's theory he expresses several ways to become a good person, some of which will be discussed later. Along the way, Aristotle states that “happiness, therefore, is something definitive and self-sufficient, and is the end of action.” This raises the question: is happiness in Aristotle's eyes something that is achieved self-sufficiently, or does happiness also require external influences? With the previous quote one could conclude that happiness is actually self-sufficient. I would argue that in Aristotle's theory happiness is not only self-sufficient because of his claims about external goods, others influencing your life, and politics as a better end. External Goods In Aristotle's mind, two aspects influence happiness: external goods and the relationship of others to oneself. External goods imply wealth, family, friends, positive experiences, life tragedies, and personal appearance. You may wonder how these dark factors affect your happiness. A person who has all the money in the world has the means to do whatever he wants to impact the common good. If they want to donate a million dollars to charity, that person can make a huge difference in the world. An ugly person in the eyes of society can be persecuted daily for their appearance. Experiences and tragedies would ultimately affect your happiness in one way or another by influencing the way you perceive your life. Aristotle underlines this by saying “while a single man can undergo many turns of the wheel of fortune”. Family and friends with a negative attitude... middle of paper... involved in personal happiness but should not be allowed to dictate your ultimate happiness. In my opinion, a person's happiness is mostly consistent with the outlook and drive to strive for happiness. I'll close with a quote from Lear: "As the happy person faces the ups and downs of life, he keeps his gaze fixed on the goal of happiness." Works Cited Bibliography Aristotle. Translated by Ross, W. D. Nicomachean Ethics. 350 BC (accessed February 13, 2014). http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.htmlRichardson Lear, Gabriel. Happy Lives and the Highest Good: An Essay on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University, 2004. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost (accessed February 13, 2014). http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.vccs.edu:2048/ehost/detail?sid=281a92c3-bf60-449f-8d0e-f12bc189a97a@sessionmgr110&vid=3#db=nlebk&AN=286654