Abstract

Aristotle affirms a close relationship between virtue and happiness. Virtues make happiness possible. However, to say that happiness is an activity of the soul according to virtue does not mean neglecting the so-called material goods or even luck. These are decisive factors that can either favor or ultimately hinder the happy life, which always will be a life of action. Therefore, there is no pure and simple identity between virtue and happiness. The virtues themselves reflect a perfect harmony between reason and desire, as manifested in a deliberate choice. Aristotle’s rationalism is thus different from any type of moral determinism, because there is no framing of an entity such as the will or individual sovereignty to explain human action. In Aristotle, reason permeates our choices, feelings, habits, thoughts, and, therefore, is essential for anything in human life, especially for happiness. The aim of this article is to demonstrate this link between reason and happiness. We show that reason in Aristotle cannot be understood as instrumental reason, since it is, from the outset, aimed at eupraxía and the human good. For Aristotle, human being as a rational animal is one and the same as a human being as political animal.