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Ethics as a subject has been studied under great influence of works of Aristotle, and his treatment of a philosophical question which had been raised by his predecessors Socrates and Plato. In its original form, this subject is concerned with the human aim of having virtue (Greek aretē) of character (ēthos), or in other words having excellent and well-chosen habits. The acquisition of an excellent character is in turn aimed at living well and eudaimonia a Greek word often translated as well-being, happiness or "human flourishing".[1] In other words, ethics is a systematic study of how individuals should best live. This study was originally coupled with the closely related study of politics, including law-making. Politics has an effect on how people are brought up, which therefore addresses the same question of how people should live, but from the standpoint of the community. The original Aristotelian and Socratic answer to the question of how best to live was to live the life of philosophy and contemplation.
