Happiness is a term that typically has several definitions. Some define happiness as the things you have; others might define it as doing a good deed and the feeling you get after doing it a good deed. Merriam-Webster defines happiness as “a state of well-being and contentment.” Even Aristotle recognizes that everyone does not agree on the definition of happiness because we all have different thought processes and prior knowledge many definitions of happiness, both Aristotle and John Stuart Mill take a similar approach when attempting to define happiness in their books Aristotle and Mill discuss their theories of happiness and pleasure, their view of virtue in ethics, and its relationship with happiness. Aristotle and Mill may have written at different times and not necessarily had the same beliefs, but both philosophers took a similar position in defining happiness. Aristotle was born in 384 BC and died in 322 BC. There is no exact date when Aristotle completed the Nicomachean Ethics, but many believe it was written around 350-340 BC. Aristotle was a scientist, as well as a philosopher. Some of the discussions Aristotle has within Nicomachean ethics were approached from a biological perspective. Even though Aristotle is writing a book on ethics, many arguments in the Nicomachean Ethics are political. The last thing Aristotle was trying to do in the Nicomachean Ethics was examine the lives of virtuous human beings. Hundreds of years later, John Stuart Mill published his novel, On Liberty and Utilitarianism. John Stuart Mill practiced utilitarianism, “the belief that a morally good action is that which helps the greatest number of people.” Mill uses the idea of ​​the “larger… middle of the paper… Aristotle and Mill when defining happiness, have similar ways of approaching the topic of happiness. It is a possibility that Mill is responding to Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, from a utilitarian view. Both Aristotle and Mill agreed that a man has a greater capacity for happiness and reason. Although they have many similarities, Aristotle and Mill have many differences. Overall, Mill believed that a person achieved happiness by experiencing pleasure or the absence of pain. While, Aristotle believed that happiness came from living one's full potential and living with reason in mind. Works Cited "Happiness". Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster and Web. November 21, 2013. Shields, Christopher. "Aristotle." Stanford University. Stanford University, September 25, 2008. Web. November 21, 2013. “Utilitarianism.” Merriam Webster. Merriam-Webster and Web. November 21. 2013.