Imagine you had the opportunity to bring change to the world. You had a talent that could potentially save the lives of countless innocent children and families. How would you feel knowing that you had that ability but didn’t act on it? Richard J. Light in “How to Live Wisely” describes a scenario in which a fisherman catches fish for a living. A businessman approaches him with a proposal that can change his life and the lives of others (Light 2015). If Aristotle where to show up aside from the business man, he would analyze the situation at hand and give his interpretation based on his philosophical ideals. In “Nicomachean Ethics”, Aristotle discusses his beliefs in what he considers the highest human good to be. He talks about how to best achieve happiness through being virtuous and what the end all of human life is. Despite the fact that people would disagree and say that Aristotle would have a critical view on the businessman’s proposal; Aristotle would actually be supportive because of his belief in human flourishing but be critical with the fisherman’s way of life. (Ross 1999, 10) I believe however, that the fisherman’s view is substantial because he is happy with his life and his family.
Aristotle would see the situation at hand and actually be intrigued by the business mans proposal to the fisherman but he would be skeptical of the way the fisherman is living and thinking. Aristotle had the belief that a person who was knowledgeable in a particular subject was a connoisseur of that area (Ross 1999, 4-5). He would see the man dressed up in a suit, and most likely procure the assumption that the businessman is an educated man. Comparing the businessman to the fisherman, it would be noticeable who lacked an education based on the gap of wealth. The fisherman however, doesn’t seem too sold on the idea of working more when he is satisfied with how he is living his life at the moment. Aristotle would question the fisherman’s belief that he is living a comfortable life and bring up the question on whether the fisherman is truly happy. “Should we not say that he is happy whose acts are virtuous and has adequate external goods for his lifetime?” (Ross 1999,16). The fisherman is not a bad person but Aristotle would say that the fisherman is not entirely happy. Aristotle would most likely say that the fisherman’s acts are virtuous. The fisherman might believe he is happy but he lacks external goods that would last him a lifetime according to Aristotle. What if he were to get sick and be unable to provide for his family and for his friends that buy the fish? The friends might have become dependent on him to catch fish since they constantly buy fish off of him. Through the businessman’s idea of helping out his community and the world in general he would be doing more than what he is currently doing now. Aristotle would probably argue that everything that the fisherman is doing doesn’t necessarily equal success. A successful life to Aristotle is one in which the community flourishes as a result of the people in it (Jowett 1999, 3). Aristotle would be critical of the fisherman’s involvement with his community. In the parable the author discusses that the fisherman is living on a small island. Aristotle would question the size of the community and most likely come to the conclusion that the fisherman’s small community doesn’t necessarily have the size in order for the people to flourish. Aristotle believed that in order for humans to flourish they must be part of a city or else they would be considered no better than beasts (Jowett 1999, 6). Aristotle believed that poverty was the,”…parent of revolution and crime.”(Jowett 1999, 32). So in essence he would claim that the fisherman is living in poverty hence why he only catches the bare minimum and lives on a small island. Going back to the businessman’s proposal, Aristotle would argue that if the fisherman were to bring about wealth to his family and his community then the people would be able to achieve their good (Jowett 1999, 3). With the fisherman not having to worry about his preoccupation to his family, if the business were to be successful; he could practice his nature of being a “political animal”(Jowett 1999, 5)
Aristotle’s vision would be more biased towards a beneficial on a political city-state. Aristotle deeply believed in a city-state and the flourishing of the city-state (Jowett 1999, 5). One of the things Aristotle would notice is the fisherman’s life style. The fisherman doesn’t live a rich life but instead has to go work hard catching fish everyday. All he cares about is his family. Aristotle had this deep belief that those who didn’t have much were more prone to revolt and corruption (Jowett 1999, 32). The fisherman however, doesn’t look like someone who would revolt and complain. He lives a satisfied life with his wife and his friends in the small little island. The fisherman looks like a good virtuous man but he isn’t participating in his community. Aristotle would frown upon the fisherman heavily because of this. The fisherman claims he is happy but is he really? Aristotle would disagree and say that the fisherman is not living a happy life due to the fact that the fisherman is not fully equipped with outside resources (Ross 1999, 16).
The most compelling view in my opinion is that of the fisherman. Sure he could possibly do more with his life in terms of just doing the same old routine everyday day but if he’s happy then I see no reason to change that. With the businessman’s approach I feel like it goes beyond than just helping the poor. People can be good but still have bad intentions and that what I see with the fisherman and the businessman. I feel like the businessman is just there to exploit the fisherman’s talents as a fisher. Aristotle’s view sounds compelling in that it would be beneficial for the community as a whole if he were to take the businessman’s offer. Aristotle’s argument of a flourishing community that can come together as one and create a respectable city-state could be a possibility (Jowett 1999, 3). It sounds like through Aristotle’s view the fisherman would be forcing upon himself something he might not feel comfortable doing. If I were to be put in that predicament in today’s modern society I would definitely take up the offer. Today we have more to live up to and more to experience as opposed to the fisherman. The fisherman just lives on a small island with his family and doesn’t necessarily worry about the luxuries of life. Most likely the cost of living and the living conditions in that island aren’t that good but I doubt they have a hierarchical society like in today’s modern world. In today’s society you must have some form of wealth or knowledge to move up in this society and become something. Then again, if the businessman is providing me with the key to change my entire life I would be skeptical. I would feel like I am being exploited for my talents and skill sets. The businessman’s idea towards the fisherman doesn’t sound that bad however.
Many people would disagree, however, and say that Aristotle would have a negative view of the businessman’s proposal. They would say that the businessman’s proposal to start a business would be an exploitation of the fisherman’s skill set. Aristotle believed that wealth was not a good to be pursuing. Wealth is but the means for achieving something else (Ross 1999,7). Many people would take that into consideration and automatically deduce that if the fisherman would be corrupted by wealth and believe that to be the meaning of life. Wealth however, can be used to achieve opportunities and live a happier life. The fisherman can then settle his family with enough wealth that they wouldn’t have to worry about dealing with issues of food. Maybe through the fisherman’s wealth, his children can become well educated and participate more openly in their communities. The businessman seems to think that wealth is very important to live a fruitful life. The businessman seems to think that having wealth is the end all of life according to Aristotle’s view (Jowett 1999,16). People would also question whether starting the business leads to happiness. Aristotle believed that happiness was the end all (NE I. 6). If it didn’t lead to happiness then Aristotle would be critical of the true purpose of the business. Aside from gaining money and feeding the poor what would be the purpose of starting a business. People would say that the money would corrupt the fisherman. Mostly since the businessman is giving the fisherman this notion that if he started a business he would be able to spend more time with his family. The extra fish caught however, can be donated back to his community and to people around the world who are suffering from hunger. The fisherman wouldn’t necessarily care about having extra fish. He just wanted enough fish to sell to his friends and then spend time with his family.
In the end Aristotle’s views would be good ones. The businessman’s idea of starting a business would be very good to Aristotle. The businessman’s view however would not completely agree with Aristotle. He seems to have this view that wealth is the end all to life but that view is different from what Aristotle would say. In my view though, the fisherman’s view of living a contemporary life and enjoying time with his family works with me. I also think that starting a business would be very good as well too. It wouldn’t hurt to be financially stable since having wealth opens you up to so many opportunities. Many would say that the businessman is just using the fisherman to further increase his capitol gain by having control of his business. In essence though, you can see what type of person the businessman is by his proposal of donating to hungry children all over the world. However, it can be just the businessman trying to sell the idea to the fisherman. In any case, what would you do if presented with the opportunity to change your life to a better one but you were already satisfied with the life you had? Ponder on that for a bit and then put yourself in the fisherman’s perspective. The fisherman lives a good life that he loves with no one telling him what to do. He does what he needs to do in order to provide for his family whom he loves spending so much time with.