Aristotle's Concept of Happiness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Aristotle's Concept of Happiness - Essay Example Aristotle uses Nicomachean Ethics in his theory of happiness to defend the view he takes on happiness. He begins by creating a big illusion that all things aim at some good. By saying that all things aim at some good, Aristotle means that everything has some aim or end to be achieved and the restricted good which every activity intends to achieve actuates the nature of that activity. Aristotle gives an example of health and the practice of medicine, the main aim of medical science is to attain health for everyone and health is in itself a good. Therefore the aim of medical science is good. Activities carried out in the real world achieve something desirable otherwise they would not be practiced. According to Aristotle, activities are hierarchically related to other activities and ends to ends (Broadie 11). Some ends are therefore subordinate to others. Hedonists and non-hedonists would disagree on what is subordinate to what between virtue and pleasure. Aristotle’s approach fo cuses on subordination-relations to cover individuals with different ethical attitudes. Subordination-relations are apparent to all who appreciate how diverse activities in a society are organized and the fact that all these activities aim at some common good. Aristotle argues that some end is ultimate for an activity and concludes that the ultimate is the good and the best but some activities may lead to others or each to various ultimate ends. Broadie states that â€Å"what is ultimate is not uniquely supreme, but it seems logically and ethically harmless, there could be conflict not resoluble by argument since it might not always be possible to act for the sake of one end without passing up an opportunity to act for the sake of another† (14). Since realistic people can avoid having different ends becoming adversaries’, anarchy or imposition of unreasonable decisions can also be avoided. Aristotle argues that knowing if there is a best should come before deciding wha t is the best. For him identifying a knowledge or skill first cultivates a good identification of the object or end. As far as ethics is concerned, the good is happiness. Despite the fact that everyone is mainly concerned for his own happiness, Nicomachean ethics does not ascertain or presume that a person can or should seek only his own good. It rather concentrates on activities and crafts in general. Aristotle argues that to form good decisions and carry them out, individuals need to understand impulse and not just apply philosophical ethics. â€Å"Lectures on ethics cannot act up for moral discipline.† (Broadie 20). It is not just enough to believe in theory; practicing things believed is a sure way of making progress. There is need to desire and act in congruence to reason. Reason does not just refer to philosophical light gained through studying ethics but rather to a progressive pursuit of the good life. According to Broadie, the pursuit is realistic not just for being established from an understanding of principles but because a good life is the kind of good that can only be achieved if individuals place some desires as secondary to others (21). This gives an individual a sound mind to choose what to do and discard what he may have felt like doing. In

Succession Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Succession Planning - Essay Example In simple terms, succession planning is an organisational process of pinpointing or selecting certain competent people as successors for key executive appointments like CEO, CMD etc. after expiry of terms of their current occupants and proactively planning their career moves in that direction. This process is straightforward in a family business where the heirs are obvious and well known. However, in other organisations, succession planning is required to be logical and well thought out management process in short and long terms requiring considerable effort towards grooming an individual for an extended period to take on the top job. This is the only tool we have today which sanctions the organisation to plan well-tailored and proactive career moves for their most talented pool of future managers. (Hirsh, 2000) However, if such succession planning is put off or ignored by the top management, the consequences can be catastrophic. This is especially so if the existing talent pool lacks competencies to take on challenges of a modern business world and there is no suitable candidate available from outside the organisation to take on the top job. Consequently, opinions vary considerably on whether succession plans should involve selection of existing talents within the organisation as discussed by Groves, Biggs (2004), Blackler & Kennedy (2004) and Cogner and Fulmer (2003) or top jobs should be handled by tapping talents from the outside market. While selecting employees from within the organisation has its own benefits like better motivation, higher integrity, reinforcement of management's faith in employers, good in-depth knowledge of strengths and weaknesses of the organisation and support from within due to familiar face at the top, but it is true that sometimes familiarity breeds contempt. In addition, there is possibility of previous conflicts with some good performers complicating or inflating into serious differences of opinions or rivalries. Nevertheless, it can be safely stated that succession planning is an important course of action at senior levels failing which an organisation can face tremendous difficulties i n the event of a sudden requirement to replace top executive. Further, once the successor is selected, the most important phase of his career planning or grooming for handling things at the highest level begins. Most family owned businesses lack in this professionally oriented grooming and training due to inherent complacencies of an assured future, which sometimes leads to complications due to personal rather than a proficient outlook. In extreme cases, this has even resulted in splitting up of large businesses into smaller units due to family feuds, sibling rivalries, and mutual disagreements over leadership and ownership aspects. In honest opinion of this author, such unpleasant dissections and associated negative publicities could have been avoided simply through proper succession grooming. Sadly, the lessons are never learnt and succession training to develop right competencies has never been given due importance. One aspect inhibiting proactive approach may be due to perceived and misplaced feeling of indispensability among the top management. The succession planning overcomes this very indispensability of an individual. Everyone becomes dispensable then. These conflicting perceptions can also lead to