“Think of the Olympic Games. The strongest or most beautiful athlete doesn’t win the prize—only those who compete and perform well do. In the same way, the happiest people are those who actively live with goodness and wisdom, not just those who have the potential to do so.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 26-27

“People have long divided ‘good things’ into three groups: • External goods – things like money, power, or good looks. • Goods of the body – health, strength, and beauty. • Goods of the soul – intelligence, wisdom, and virtue (good character). The best and most important goods are those of the soul, because they come from within us. Since happiness is about how we live and act, it must be a good of the soul, not just an external thing like wealth or power.” -The Nichomachean Ethics- For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 26

“The unique quality of humans is reason—our ability to think and make choices based on understanding. Thus, the function of a human must be living in a way that uses reason well. Humans are unique because they can reason. A good life must be one where reason is used well. This is what I call virtue. It means living wisely and making just choices. If the function of a human is to live according to reason, then the best life must be one where we use our reason in the best way possible. This means living with virtue—developing good habits and making wise choices. Happiness is about a lifetime of living well.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 24-25

“Humans are social creatures, and happiness includes being part of a community. However, we must set limits—if happiness depended on the well-being of every person we know, we would never be able to define it. Happiness isn’t just one good thing among others. If it were, then adding even a small extra good would make something better than happiness. But happiness is meant to be the highest and most complete good. So, it must be something that makes life fulfilling on its own.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 24

“The highest good must be something we choose only for itself, never as a means to something else. Happiness seems to be this final goal. • We choose to be happy for its own sake, not because it leads to something else. • We seek honor, pleasure, and wisdom. We value them not just for themselves, but also because they help us find happiness. • No one pursues happiness to get something else—it is the goal itself.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 23-24

“Saying that only the perfect ‘Form of the Good’ is truly good makes it meaningless. No one can really experience or achieve it. We should focus on something practical, something that people can actually reach in their lives. Some argue that knowing about ‘The Good’ helps in daily life, like a blueprint helps a builder. But in reality, most people don’t need this kind of abstract knowledge. We shouldn't chase an impossible idea of perfection. Instead, let's focus on the good that people can really achieve.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 22-23

“Each subject focuses on its own type of good. Medicine looks at health. Military strategy focuses on victory. Ethics examines virtue. If ‘goodness’ meant the same thing in every case, then doctors and generals would study the same subject—which they don’t. This is why a single ‘Good’ for everything doesn’t make sense.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 22

“Do Philosophers Agree on What Is Good? Some philosophers think there is one universal ‘Form of the Good.’ This perfect idea makes everything else good. We should question this idea, even if it comes from respected thinkers like our teachers. As lovers of wisdom, we must value truth more than the opinions of even the most respected people.” -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg. 21

“To understand ethics and politics, we must begin with what people already know. That’s why a good upbringing is crucial. If someone is raised with good habits, they already have a sense of right and wrong, even if they can’t fully explain it. Studying ethics helps these people understand more. But if someone wasn’t raised well, no amount of teaching will make them truly grasp goodness. As the poet Hesiod wrote: ‘The best person understands on their own. The second-best listens to wise advice. The worst person neither learns nor listens.’ “ -The Nichomachean Ethics - For Everyone, Aristotle, Kindle Edition, pg 20-21