Made for Happiness: Discovering the Meaning of Life with Aristotle [Paperback]

Jean Vanier (Author), Kathryn Spink (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 10, 2005

In Made for Happiness, Jean Vanier offers an uplifting, contemporary, and practical application of philosophy to human needs and yearnings. Inviting readers to look with fresh eyes at theories of happiness written over two millennia ago, Vanier builds on the philosophical work of his youth as he examines the basis for modern moral philosophy and its role in people's lives today.
The book uncovers useful links between psychology, spirituality, and morality: psychology helps readers face their fears and limitations; spirituality gives them strength; and morality helps them to choose the best actions - those that will increase their happiness, and thus their humanity. The combination of these paths to knowledge and wisdom gives meaning to people's lives and allows them to make the best use of their freedom on their way to that most elusive but always obtainable quality—happiness.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: House of Anansi Press; Tra edition (March 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0887846696
• ISBN-13: 978-0887846694
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #741,596 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Helpful Aristotelian Look at Happiness, March 30, 2010

By 

Conrade Yap (Vancouver, BC Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Made for Happiness: Discovering the Meaning of Life with Aristotle (Paperback)

Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher writes that the fundamental human quest is for happiness. In other words, man is made for happiness. He possesses an innate desires to do good, to enjoy life as well as to pursue happiness. This quest takes in the form of friendship, pleasure, and a search for truth, justice and freedom. It is based on Jean Vanier's doctoral thesis entitled: "Happiness as Principle and End of Aristotelian Ethics." In it, the author shares his insights about Aristotelian understanding of the fundamental makeup and purpose of man: Toward Happiness.

Vanier points out how messed up our contemporary world is, to find meaning in life through materialism, money and power. He argues convincingly that these things do not necessarily bring happiness. Instead, they only add more stress and pressure to an already frantic soul in an increasingly anxious world. More disturbingly, man has confused what true happiness is. Enters Aristotle. Enters hope. Enters the masterful guiding hands of the founder of L'Arche. Vanier helps us link together the many different expressions of being human. Marrying the psychological, the ethical, the morality and spirituality of being human, Vanier illuminates the Aristotelian observation that man is made to be happy through `logos,' `virtue' and `activity.' `Logos' as the reason, the initial impetus of how and why man does certain things; `virtue' being the desire to want to do good in this world, and `activity' as an outward expression of this happiness quest. This is all part of being human.

What makes this book particularly helpful is that it does not lock the reader into the metaphysical realm of philosophy or intellect as the author works through Aristotelian ethics. Using examples, anecdotes and frequent quotations from primary sources, the author applies ancient philosophy with contemporary applications. Thus, Vanier has helped to connect intellectual with the affectual, the head with the heart. This is the single most valuable reason to read this book. I especially appreciate the tribute Vanier renders to this great philosopher, especially after critiquing certain parts of Aristotelian Ethics.

"Aristotle is a wise man. He seeks to reinforce all the positive energies that might help the men of his time to become more human, more just, more open to others, and by virtue of this very fact, to be happier, or to rediscover the fact that they were made for happiness." (198)

conrade