AQUINO Journal of Philosophy

This paper investigates the metaphysical foundations of human fulfillment through Karol Wojtyla’s personalistic philosophy, situating his insights within the Aristotelian-Thomistic tradition. In Aristotle’s perspective, the ultimate goal and purpose of human existence is happiness. Since this is the pinnacle of our capacity for reason, it necessitates intellectual reflection. Therefore, an activity of the soul in accordance with a rational principle is the proper essence of man. In contrast, Aquinas asserts that happiness is an objective state of existence that satisfies human nature rather than just a subjective emotion. He highlights that all human efforts are ultimately focused on achieving happiness. According to Thomas Aquinas, true happiness is found in the possession of God, which is the highest good. Wojtyla enriches classical accounts of eudaimonia by accentuating the dynamic relation between person and action, and the moral orientation toward the good. When performing an action the person fulfills himself also from the ontological point of view. His fulfillment is based on self-determinism. Freedom carries within itself the surrender to truth which is brought into prominence in man’s conscience. The function of conscience consists in distinguishing the element of moral good and in releasing and forming a sense of duty with respect to this good. While Aristotle and Aquinas conceives happiness as the ultimate end of human striving, Wojtyla advances this framework by integrating freedom, conscience, and personal responsibility into the ontology of fulfillment. The paper argues that the appropriate understanding of happiness is not reducible to subjective satisfaction but constitutes the full actualization of rational nature through morally good action.

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