Aristotle is still the most insightful and relevant philosopher after all these years. From physics, to psychology, to biology, to politics, to ethics, to metaphysics, to logic. No single man has made more contributions to him.
I totally agree. Aristotle is still relevant today. But regarding happiness, as presented in this article, all these philosophers, Aristotle included, offer behavioral recipies that the SELF must enforce on his body in order to be happy. Usually by enforcing such things as frugality and fasting, instead of letting the body do what it wants. So let the body decide what is best for itself.
But what I want to say is that, happiness is, to a great extent, a feeling resulting from, or caused by, some chemicals. Like melatonin and seratonin. So all we have to do is to create the right conditions for the body to secrete the optimum amount of happiness chemicals. So it seems happiness is not about forcing body to behave a certain way.
You are right, that's why I said, or I was trying to say, that as the conscious self, I will prepare the most favorable environment for the body to relax and have deep sleep.
And what if the body decides that the best thing for itself is crack cocaine? You don't want happiness per se, but a fulfilling and satisfying life.
Think about it, if you could wire yourself to a machine that injected all the happiness chemicals into your brain for the rest of your life would you do it?
"Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness."
Only in the sense that the brain is part of the body.
> You don't want happiness per se, but a fulfilling and satisfying life.
Also see https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2012/06/the-meani....