本研究的目的在探討Aristotle的休閒觀，以及善、幸福、德性、智慧、冥思等等－與其心目中圓滿幸福的人生所息息相關的幾個重要概念。雖然Aristotle未曾針對「休閒」爲主題，完成一部專門著作，但就他在不同著作中傳遞出來的訊息顯示，休閒在其心目中確實佔有非同小可的地位，它具有無所爲而爲的特質，被視爲自身即是終極目標、人所能達到最高境界－至善。冥思被認爲最能代表休閒，也是最完滿、最接近神性的一種活動。這種活動是契合完善德性的心靈活動，並且最足以展現人類的智慧，而且它本身就是高尚的目標，得以獲得休閒或追求休閒也是人之所以存在的理由。若無休閒，人不可能進行最高智慧的冥思活動，因此也就不可能得到圓滿的幸福。Aristotle認爲，理想的政府應使所有的公民都能將自身的潛能充分發揮，以及確保他們都能夠過著幸福的生活。因此，政府有責任並應設法使每個公民都能成爲具備良好德性的人，也就是應籍教育來讓公民能夠得以充分發揮自己的天賦資質與潛力，好讓他們活出具有德性以及休閒的一生一也枕是圓滿幸福的人生。

This study attempts to explore Aristotle's philosophy of leisure and concepts relevant to well being and the ultimate goal of life. While Aristotle did not write specifically on the subject of leisure, evidence suggests that he valued leisure greatly. According to this great philosopher, leisure was valued for its own sake and was considered the ultimate goal and the highest condition that man could achieve. Contemplation was deemed as the ideal form of leisure and was considered the only human activity that the gods would appreciate. It was also seen as an activity in which soul was in conformity with perfect virtue. According to this philosophy, leisure is the reason for man's existence. Without leisure, man cannot contemplate, and would therefore be unable to attain perfect happiness.