...Eudaimonia Eudaimonia is what everyone strives to be. Aristotle (384 BC-322 BC) believes that happiness is the highest or central good in human life and is what we all aim for. Happiness is the ultimate end we all aim for, as it is the end in and of itself. Unlike, for example, going to the gym to work out and the end goal is being healthy, feeling, and looking better. This is not the end of the means of working out. In being healthy after working out, you lead yourself to living a longer life, and there is another end goal after this. What Aristotle tries to reach or answer in Nicomachean Ethics, is how to reach eudaimonia. “Nonetheless, happiness evidently also needs external goods to be added, as we said, since we cannot, or cannot easily, do fine actions if we lack the resources …” Aristotle believes that external goods such as wealth, power, and friends are all used to reach eudaimonia. We need external goods such as these in order to succeed and prosper in our endgame of reaching happiness, as it will be extremely hard without these goods. Aristotle deems that happiness needs to have prosperity or wealth, opulence, luxury, and the good life in order to be achieved. As prosperity tends to be associated with success and affluence, some people identify happiness as good fortune. This good fortune has results from favorable outcomes, good luck, destiny, and fate. Other people associate happiness with virtue. Virtue is the way people act in showing high moral standards...
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...1. Aristotle discusses three candidates for the good life. Briefly describe each. • The life of consumption or gratification- a good life as merely the indulgence of self-desires and wants. For example, the thought that the more money or successful one is the happier one will be. • The life of honor - a good life depends upon others and their views of us so it is not desirable for its own sake. For example, a soldier serving in the military and aiming to achieve the highest honor. • The life of study or contemplation - a good life consists of admiring and using intellect to bring about happiness. For example a believing in a higher to bring about reason for existence of human life and purpose. 2. What is the purpose of “practical reason” or “practical intelligence” and what kinds of activities does it apply to? How is knowledge in these areas best described? • Practical reason is the general human capacity for resolving, through reflection, the question of what one is to do. Knowledge in this area can be described as one who does or follows the norm. • Practical intelligence is the ability that individuals use to find the best fit between themselves and the demands of their surroundings. Knowledge in this area can be described as one who assesses their resources and/or surroundings to make the best immediate decision for who to proceed. 3. Why does Aristotle say that ethics is not an exact science? • Aristotle says that every theory needs to be as exact as...
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...The Nicomachaen Ethics The Nicomachean Ethics are philosophical analysis of the nature of the good life for a human. Aristotle starts off his work by stating that there exists an ultimate good in which ultimately all human actions aim for. The characteristics of the ultimate good are that they are complete, final, self-sufficient, and continuous. The good which all humans aim for is happiness in Greek, “eudaimonia,” which can also be translated as living well, and is not a state of being but rather a type of activity. “Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim.”(Ch. 1) To discover the nature of human happiness one must determine what the function of a human being is. The function must be specific to human beings, which is essential to being a human. A person is mainly his intellect. Although the spirit and desire of people is also important, the rational part of the soul is what can most closely be considered a person’s identity. Human happiness consists of the activity of the soul according to reason. “Far best is he who knows all things himself; Good, he that hearkens when men counsel right; But he who neither knows, nor lays to heart Another's wisdom, is a useless Wight.”(Ch. 4) Every action that is taken must be done deliberately. Knowing what he/she is doing, and doing it because it is ethically correct is the meaning...
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...statement is merely to amuse children, developing true happiness is thought by many to be very difficult. Also, happiness is often falsely recognized and misinterpreted. Therefore, being truly happy and knowing you are truly happy are very loaded concepts. The object of this paper is to analyze and compare the thoughts of three philosophers’ whose remarks on happiness have been most influential for centuries after their time. They are Aristotle, St. Augustine, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Although I do not have the perfect understanding of happiness and believe no one does, I believe that each of their approaches to happiness hold a common theme that must be inconsistent with true happiness. They base happiness ultimately on self fulfillment. One of the earliest to ask the question ‘what is happiness?’ was Aristotle, who, in a manner typical of philosophers, before providing an answer insisted on making a distinction between two different questions. His first question was what was meant by the word ‘happiness’—or rather, its ancient Greek equivalent eudaimonia. His second question was where happiness was to be found, that is to say, what is it that makes us truly happy? Reasonably enough he thought that it was futile to try to answer the second question without having given thought to the first. The definition that he offers is that happiness is the supreme good that supplies the purpose, and measures the value, of all human activity and striving. “[E]verything else that any of us do”...
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...The History of Happiness and Contemporary Happiness Studies Darrin M. McMahon New Directions in the Study of Happiness Notre Dame University, Oct. 22-24, 2006 Well, first of all let me say what an honor it is to be here, speaking to such an illustrious gathering of scholars, and to thank the organizers at Notre Dame for having invited me and indeed for having invited all of us. It occurs to me that we in the academic world like to talk about the importance of interdisciplinary discussions, about the need for cross-fertilization, and the like, but in my experience that is too often, regrettably, more talk than reality. So chapeau, as the French say, to Notre Dame for hosting this event around a subject that so clearly demands multiple perspectives. I’ve noted that this first panel modestly poses the question “What is happiness?,” and modestly let me say that I am singularly unfit to answer it, in large part because of my training as a historian, which makes me, I fear, unduly attentive to the way in which words and concepts change their meanings over time. To be perfectly frank, I’m partial to Immanuel Kant’s observation that “the concept of happiness is such an indeterminate one that even though everyone wishes to attain happiness, yet he can never say definitely and consistently what it is what he really wishes and wills.” But clearly that is not really going to be good enough here tonight. So how to answer the question “what is happiness.” I might point...
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...first coach? The ancient Greek philosophers and coaching Flourishing life (eudaimonia) Excellence (aristia) –Prudence (phronesis) – Morals (ethos) This original article (a shorter one) written by Barbara Asimakopoulou was first published in International Coaching Federation’s blog The ancient Greek philosophers, motivated by their love of knowledge (the actual word “philosopher” derives from the Greek words “filos” and “Sophia” which mean “friend” and “wisdom” respectively) have been preoccupied with the investigation of the reasons for human existence and the way men should live, so as to be consistent with their reason for being. Their views widely appealed to the western world and formed the foundation for western philosophy and psychology, influencing the philosophers who followed, from the oldest to the most contemporary ones and inspiring passionate support but not without also being questioned. Today, most of their views seem to have lost nothing of their lustre and stand out like shining beacons, especially now that the western world is desperately seeking answers in order to relight its fires!!! In the text below, I refer to Aristotle and Socrates, the principles and practices they bequeathed us, so as to prove that these have a lot in common with the principles and practices of coaching. In addition, I will attempt to prove that Socrates is the first ever coach!!! Aristotle, a student of Socrates and Plato, the most important philosopher according to...
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...Aristotle believed all human activities are aimed at “eudaimonia” or happiness. He believed that what makes human beings distinct from other living things is our capacity for rational behaviour, gaining knowledge and acting on reasons. He believed to live a good life is to live a life of practical knowledge and that this is similar to living a life of virtue. Aristotle concluded that a virtue is a learned disposition to reason and act in a certain way. Virtues are habits of mind that move us towards a good life. Virtue ethics, its most famous form from Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, focus on what sort of people we should strive to be and not just that things we should do on individual occasions. Moral dilemmas are usually situations in which there are two choices to make, neither of which resolves the situation in an ethically acceptable fashion. Hence in business, virtue ethics requires leaders to act in a way that they will increase their contributions to the good life. All business leaders will inevitably face moral dilemmas. In navigating through these dilemmas, virtue ethics and reason tell the business leaders to follow the character traits that upon, contemplation and reflection, they view as consistent with virtue. An art director, with a team of designers and illustrators, overseeing the promotion efforts of their new toy is “strongly” persuaded by his boss to “borrow” copyrighted design material and schematics from another overseas toy firm. His boss...
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...CLEMENTINA DIKE JEFFERSON COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES PHYLOSOPHY 115 (Critical Thinking) Eudaimonia means flourishing. For Aristotle, Eudaimonia is a habitual, virtuous activity, it is continuous. Eudaimonia is something that is proper to the person and that cannot be taken away. It does not depend on pleasures of life or honor bestowed on one by people which are temporary. It is a life rational living throughout ones life. Eudaimoina is the good that we all seek or should seek because it is full development and exercise of our human capacities in accordance with excellence or virtue throughout our entire life. For one to be happy, all his choices should be done in a good and excellent way – a life of reason which cannot be taken away. According to Aristotle, the defining function of a human being is “activity of soul in accordance with reason. ”He asserts that guiding our emotions with reason or being rational in an excellent way, according to virtue could lead to happiness. Virtue (Arête) is a life of excellence. It is a disposition to choose in a certain way, which is appropriate to that virtue. It encompasses all things, it is not partial. Virtue is learnt by practice and repetition. It is not inborn. It should be learned from childhood so that one does not need to struggle within himself to do good but is emotionally attached to doing good. Intellectual virtue is the innate understanding of the character virtue as being good and their contraries...
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...Kaycee Feb 11, 2013 Definition Paper Happiness There is much talk about happiness in life. Movies, lectures, books, and seminars have been written explaining what it is to be ‘happy’ and ‘how you get there.’ As stated in the United States Constitution we are given “unalienable rights among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Happiness is something we as humans are entitled to and guaranteed as a right. Something so fundamental should be easy to come by, yet everywhere you turn there are signs and tips on how to be ‘A Happier person.’ Happiness, by definition is a state of being, not a destination. It is an essence that many people work so hard to define, capture and achieve, all the while jeopardizing the true state of being happy. For some, happiness is the sunshine on their face as they curl up in their favorite chair on the beach sipping a cold drink. For others it is a baby’s smile, or their first paycheck. As people go through their different stages of life they have different definitions of happiness and different means of being happy and achieving happiness. Happy is a state of mind and a temporary place, not an end goal or destination as many people feel happiness is. So many times people feel like if they could only lose those last 10 pounds, or get promoted, or watch their team win the Superbowl then is when they will be happy. Once happiness is achieved, then what? Do people move on to the next ‘happiness’ or are they just satisfied...
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...Question of Happiness”, the writer Tal Ben-Shahar writes about his first experiences with happiness. It all starts when he wins the Israeli national squash championship at sixteen years old. He has been practicing for years and believes that winning the title will make him happy and fulfil the emptiness he feels inside. Ben-Shahar wins the championship and feels happier that he ever thought was possible. But it only lasts for so long. Shortly after winning the championship the emptiness comes back and that makes him question what happiness is really about. He realizes that he has to rethink his perception of happiness and what makes us happy. He becomes obsessed, starts pursuing the true meaning of it and starts studying philosophers like Aristotle and Confucius. He discovers that emotions are fleeting, and while they are enjoyable and significant, he does not believe that they are the measure of happiness. 2) Everybody has different perceptions of what happiness is. Some believe that it is buying a new car while others think that helping other people is the key. In the three texts we get three different opinions on the matter. The first text is ‘The Question of Happiness’ by Tal Ben-Shahar. He has published a book called ‘Happier’, which is where the text is from and has been a teacher at Harvard University. Ben-Shahar has been wondering about happiness since he was sixteen years old. It all started when winning a squash title didn’t fulfil the emptiness inside him as he...
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...My idea of a happy lifeWhen I begin to think of my idea of a happylife, I think first of all of money -- plenty of money for everything all the time. Money tobuy a beautiful house for my parents or mybrothers and sisters with every convenience and luxury, money to buy a fine motor car, all the clothes we could everwant and as many possessions like transistors, bicycles and modern appliances, as the heart could desire. money too, for foreign travel and for a first class education. Then, I think, I could be happy. But, is this really the answer ? It is true that the possession of money contributes to comfort and easy living, but money in itself cannot create happiness.Let us look at some of the world's richest people. Barbara Hutton, the Woolworth's heiress, for example, was divorced several times and lived a most unhappy life. There are many other rich people, whose misery is much greater than that of those living with only enough money for the barest necessities of life.The essentials, therefore, of a happy life do not lie in money. Indeed, very many of themare things that money can never purchase. Good health is one of them and the one that we value least, until we are in danger of losing it. It is true that brave people who suffer from ill-health do surmount it and often find great happiness, but this needs great courage and all of them would admit that they would be happier with a healthy body and leading a normal life.Like most of my fellowmen, I am a gregarious animal and...
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...Success or Happiness We always think that money can buy happiness and if we have money we are living the good life. Even Aristotle would agree that money can’t buy happiness. But what if you are poor and struggling and trying to reach success because you need to support your family. Can that success buy happiness? Because when you are struggling and trying to make ends meet it can be frustrating. We can definitely look at the movie Pursuit of Happyness and try to think what would Aristotle think of the story and would he agree on the main character, Chris’s, definition of happiness. In the movie Pursuit of Happyness there is a guy name Chris Gardner who is trying his best to support his family by selling portable bone density scanners. And for Chris to be able to pay rent and daycare fees, he has to at least sell 2 scanners each month. Throughout the movie he has a hard time selling them and it gets to the point where he can’t pay his bills. In result of him not being able to pay his bills, his wife ends up leaving and he also gets evicted from his home and the only person he has left is his son Christopher (Pursuit of Happyness). So his only option to not live on the streets and to give his son a good life is to find a good paying job. When I was watching the movie, one scene that stood out was the scene when Chris was walking through the Financial District in San Francisco after a long day of trying to sell his scanners. But as he is walking he sees a man in a suit and...
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...Many people believe that happiness can be bought, or that money helps create happiness. Happiness is defined in different ways. Some may say that living free is a form of happiness. Others may say that family brings happiness to one’s soul. We can say that most people would like to feel some form of happiness. Happiness can determine how your life will succeed or not. Happiness can be maladaptive and adaptive in an evolutionary perspective. My happiness will help me and my future, survive in this modern world. My happiness is determined by my career. I have obtain a position as a police cadet that has brought me my happiness. My happiness is to defend those who can’t and to offer any help possible. My daily routine is different and exciting. The adrenalin rush I get from deterring crime or giving advice to people in need makes me happy. The reason why my career makes me very happy and is essential to my survival of this world is because it can determine my survival and reproduction. Bjorn Grinde in “Darwinism Happiness”, he say that many people think that being healthy means to be happy or that having a disease means that you are not happy. He says that many people are lonely, bored and lacking in life. He says that living for people has become a daily routine without purpose. People are not content on how there life has come out to be. (2002) This is a form of maladaptive behavior because people that are lacking in life and lonely do not have a successful reproduction rate...
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...Achieving Inner Contentment may mean different things to some people, for example to some it may mean to have everything that you desire or want like expensive cars, bigger house, or more shoes, when really you do not need them. In the essay titled, “Inner Contentment,” by the Dali Lama and Howard C. Cutler, they seem to be having a conversation about what inner contentment really is and how both of them think that they can achieve it but in two different ways (Lama and Cutler). There are two different methods to achieving inner contentment, but one way is more reasonable and better than the other one. One of the methods is to obtain everything you want and or desire, which is the one that the Dali Lama and Howard C. Cutler say is the unreliable one that can get you into trouble, while the second method is not to have what you want but rather to appreciate what we have. In this essay they explain both, why one is unreasonable and how while the other one is reasonable (Lama and Cutler). The essay starts off with Howard C. Cutler walking down the street to meet with the Dali Lama, but he stops to admire a brand-new Toyota land cruiser, which he says is “the car he has been wanting for a long time” (Lama and Cutler). When he gets to his session with the Dali Lama, he starts by commenting that he feels that western culture is very influenced by ads for the latest and newest things to buy and your desire for them never seems to stop so he asks the Dali Lama to talk a little bit about...
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...Final Essay Both Kant and Aristotle discuss their own interpretations of what morality is and what it looks like. They have very different ways of looking at what it means to act morally and what needs to be done to achieve morality and how happiness factors in to morality however. Aristotle believes that the end goal of morality is happiness. Happiness is the “final end” to all moral actions, it is the thing all humans are striving for even subconsciously. It is the final end because all actions lead to happiness, but happiness can only lead to itself, you build a ship to travel, you travel to trade, you trade to make money, and so on until you reach happiness but there is nothing greater than happiness. Aristotle reasons that since happiness...
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