Summary and Analysis
Book VII:
Chapter XIII - Is Pleasure the Highest Good? (2)
Summary
Happiness, the end of human life, has been defined as the functioning of all one's powers in conformity with their proper virtue. Since pleasure is a form of activity, this implies that the highest good must be some kind of pleasure. No activity is perfect if interrupted. Happiness is thought to be perfect and complete activity and pleasure is also considered to be unimpeded activity. Finally, no matter what their particular object at a given time, all living beings pursue pleasure. This makes it possible to say that pleasure is the highest good.