Part I
Professor: OK. Another ancient Greek philosopher we need to discuss is Aristotle—Aristotle’s ethical theory. What Aristotle’s ethical theory is all about is this: he’s trying to show you how to be happy—what true happiness is. Now, why is he interested in human happiness? It’s not just because it’s something that all people want or aim for. It’s more than that. But to get there we need to first make a very important distinction. Let me introduce a couple of technical terms: extrinsic value and intrinsic value.
To understand Aristotle’s interest in happiness, you need to understand this distinction. Some things we aim for and value, not for themselves but for what they bring about in addition to themselves. If I value something as a means to something else, then it has what we will call “extrinsic value.” Other things we desire and hold to be valuable for themselves alone. If we value something not as a means to something else, but for its own sake, let us say that it has “intrinsic value.”
如果我将某个事物视为是其他事物的一种手段途径，那么这个事物就具有我们所说的“外在价值”。
如果我们珍视某个事物本身的价值，而不是将它视为获得其他事物的手段，那么我们就说它具有“内在价值”。
1. ethical |ˈeθɪkl|
adj. connected with beliefs and principles about what is right and wrong （有关）道德的；伦理的
E.g.: the ethical problems of human embryo research
人类胚胎研究的伦理问题
2. extrinsic|eksˈtrɪnsɪk|
adj. (formal) not belonging naturally to sb/sth; coming from or existing outside sb/sth rather than within them 非固有的；非本质的；外在的；外来的
E.g.:You have to consider any extrinsic factors in the success of the business.
你必须把商业成功的外在因素也考虑进去。
3. intrinsic |ɪnˈtrɪnsɪk|
adj. belonging to or part of the real nature of sth/sb 固有的；内在的；本身的
E.g.: Small local shops are intrinsic to the town's character.
本地的一些小店铺是这个镇的基本特点。
4. bring about
to make sth happen 导致；引起
E.g.: What brought about the change in his attitude?
是什么使他改变了态度？
5. for sth's sake
because of the interest or value sth has, not because of the advantages it may bring 为某事本身的缘故；鉴于某事本身的价值
E.g.: I believe in education for its own sake.
我相信教育本身就是有价值的。
Part II
Exercise. There may be some people who value exercise for itself, but I don’t. I value exercise because if I exercise, I tend to stay healthier than I would if I didn’t. So I desire to engage in exercise and I value exercise extrinsically, not for its own sake, but as a means to something beyond it. It brings me good health.
Health. Why do I value good health? Well, here it gets a little more complicated for me. Um, health is important for me because I can’t…do other things I want to do—play music, teach philosophy—if I’m ill. So health is important to me—has value to me—as a means to a productive life. But health is also important to me because I just kind of like to be healthy—it feels good. It’s pleasant to be healthy, unpleasant not to be. So to some degree, I value health both for itself and as a means to something else: productivity. It’s got extrinsic and intrinsic value for me.
之所以我想要参加锻炼，我重视的是锻炼的外在价值，而不是锻炼本身，是因为锻炼作为一种手段能带来超越锻炼之外的某些东西。
1. engage in
to take part in sth; to make sb take part in sth （使）从事，参加
E.g.: Even in prison, he continued to engage in criminal activities.
即便在监狱里，他还是继续从事犯罪活动。
2. productive|prəˈdʌktɪv|
adj. doing or achieving a lot 有效益的；富有成效的
E.g.: My time spent in the library was very productive.
我花在图书馆的时间很有收获。
Part III
Then there are somethings that are just valued for themselves. I’m a musician, not a professional musician; I just play a musical instrument for fun. Why do I value playing music? Well, like most amateur musicians, I only play because, well, I just enjoy it. It’s something that’s an end in itself.
Now, something else I value is teaching. Why? Well, it brings in a modest income, but I could make more money doing other things. I’d do it even if they didn’t pay me. I just enjoy teaching. In that sense it’s an end to itself. But teaching’s not something that has intrinsic value for all people—and that’s true generally. Most things that are enjoyed in and of themselves vary from person to person. Some people value teaching intrinsically, but others don’t. So how does all this relate to human happiness?
1. an end in itself
a thing that is itself important and not just a part of sth more important 本身重要的事
E.g.: While he had originally traveled in order to study, traveling had become an end in itself.
尽管他原本是为了学习而旅行，但旅行过程本身也变成了一种享受。
2. modest|ˈmɒdɪst|
adj. not very large, expensive, important, etc. 些许的；不太大（或太贵、太重要等）的
E.g.:He charged a relatively modest fee.
他收取的费用不算高。
3. in and of itself
by itself, without considering any other factors. 本身，不考虑其它任何因素
E.g.: Yes, in and of itself, your statement isn't a problem. But you have to understand how it sounded in the context of the conversation.
是的，就其本身而言，您的陈述没有问题，但是你必须考虑到它在这个对话的上下文里听起来是怎么样的。
Part IV
Well, Aristotle asks: is there something that all human beings value . . . and value only intrinsically, for its own sake and only for its own sake? If you could find such a thing, that would be the universal final good, or truly the ultimate purpose or goal for all human beings. Aristotle thought the answer was yes. What is it? Happiness. Everyone will agree, he argues, that happiness is the ultimate end to be valued for itself and really only for itself. For what other purpose is there in being happy? What does it yield? The attainment of happiness becomes the ultimate or highest good for Aristotle.
The next question that Aristotle raises is: what is happiness? We all want it; we all desire it; we all seek it. It’s the goal we have in life. But what is it? How do we find it? Here he notes, with some frustration, people disagree. But he does give us a couple of criteria, or features, to keep in mind as we look for what true human happiness is.
他主张每个人都会同意幸福本身就是最终目的，而且只是为了追求幸福本身，因为除了获得快乐之外还能有什么其他所求呢？
但幸福是什么？我们又如何能找到幸福？在这里他有些沮丧地指出，人们并没有达成共识。
1. good|gʊd|
noun. something that helps sb/sth 用处；好处；益处
E.g.: What's the good of (= how does it help you) earning all that money if you don't have time to enjoy it?
要是没时间去享受，赚这么多钱有什么用？
2. attainment|əˈteɪnmənt|
noun. success in achieving sth 达到；获得
E.g.: The attainment of his ambitions was still a dream.
他要实现的抱负仍然是一个梦想。
3. note|nəʊt|
verb. to mention sth because it is important or interesting 指出；特别提到
E.g.: It is worth noting that the most successful companies had the lowest prices.
值得指出的是最成功的公司价格最低。
Part V
True human happiness should be, as he puts it, complete. Complete in that it’s all we require. Well, true human happiness…if you had that, what else do you need? Nothing.
And, second, true happiness should be something that I can obtain on my own. I shouldn’t have to rely on other people for it. Many people value fame and seek fame. Fame for them becomes the goal. But, according to Aristotle, this won’t work either, because fame depends altogether too much on other people. I can’t get it on my own, without help from other people. In the end, Aristotle says that true happiness is the exercise of reason—a life of intellectual contemplation...of thinking. So let’s see how he comes to that.
正如他所说，真正的人类幸福应该是完整的。 完整，因为它就是我们所需要的一切。真正的人类幸福……如果你得到了它，你还需要别的什么吗？ 不需要了。
1. in that
(formal) for the reason that; because 原因是；因为
E.g.: She was fortunate in that she had friends to help her.
她很幸运，有一些朋友帮助她。
2. exercise|ˈeksəsaɪz|
noun. the use of power, a skill, a quality or a right to make sth happen 行使；运用；使用
E.g.: the exercise of power by the government
政府权力的行使。
3. contemplation|ˌkɑːntəmˈpleɪʃn|
noun. the act of thinking deeply about sth 深思；沉思
E.g.: He sat there deep in contemplation.
他坐在那里沉思着。
