Abstract

This paper investigates the sense of the Aristotelian question “what is the best?” (ti to ariston) in Eudemian Ethics I 8. We intend to lay bare Aristotle’s assumptions when approaching that question in I 8, as well as to elucidate what kind of answer it can receive and how it connects with the research that has been conducted in the previous chapters (specially in I 7). We shall argue that in I 8 Aristotle continues the task started in I 7, where he sets out to elucidate a broad conception of happiness that is taken for granted. This broad conception includes the view according to which the end (telos) corresponds to what is best. In I 8, Aristotle aims at clarifying what it means to say of the end that it is that which is “best”.

Keywords: Aristotle, best, end, good-itself, happiness.