ABSTRACT
“Some philosophers say that true happiness comes from a life of virtue.” So says Hobbes to Calvin as Calvin is about to throw a snowball at Susie. Calvin stops and proceeds to test this hypothesis. He cleans his room, shovels the driveway, makes his mom a card, and generally is a good boy. But he finds himself frustrated. Hobbes agrees, noting, “Virtue needs some cheaper thrills.” The position that with virtue comes happiness is one deeply engrained within the history of philosophy. Aristotle's conception of “eudaimonia” holds that exercising virtue comprises an important part of human flourishing, such that true happiness is unattainable without virtue. Aristotle's conception of “eudaimonia” focuses on human flourishing and is distinctive insofar as it maintains a connection between human flourishing and virtue.
