WHAT IS THE GOOD LIFE?

HZB3M - RASO

“HOW’S LIFE?”

• What is your response to this question?• What do you use to describe your

life right now?• What do you mean to communicate

when you say things about your life and how it’s going?

SOME QUESTIONS FOR THIS SECTION…

• What are the features of a good life?• How do you define a good life?• Does happiness go hand-in-hand with pleasure?• Is a good life simply carrying out one’s duties or the

pursuit of pleasure alone?• Is living life all about pursuing long-term happiness?

WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?

• Does making a lot of money make you happy?• Does doing well at school make you happy?• Does religion make you happy?• Sometimes things that are enjoyable make you happy, like

watching a good movie with your friends – but this is something short term, because the feeling of enjoyment associated with the movie will pass

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

• To pursue happiness in life, something long-term, rather than a weekend feeling• A doctor will feel a deeper happiness from the life-

saving work she or he does than in getting a birthday card once a year• People who really enjoy their work may find

happiness in the success they have in what they do for a living

IMMANUEL KANT (1724-1894)

• German Philosopher• The purpose of everything you do is a

combination of virtue and happiness• Believed it both natural and necessary

for humans to be happy• Naturally drawn to happiness• People should do things that

guarantee lasting happiness – because happiness comes from what you do

KANT CONTINUED…• This duty is an imperative that people

become aware of when they consider rationally the choices they have to make• “imperative” specified the important

things that a person has to do to ensure happiness• Important for people to do virtuous things• Virtuous things should not be done in

order to experience good feelings, but because the ought to be done – this contributes to lasting hapiness

JEREMEY BENTHAM (1748 – 1832) AND PLEASURE

• British Philosopher• Associated good life with pleasure• Happiness interchangeable with

the word pleasure• Happiness as a passing feeling

rather than something deeper• The good life is on in which

pleasurable feelings are experienced in regular or

predictable ways – mathematical

• Calculate the amount of pleasure you feel and subtract the pain – the sum indicates how well your life is going• If you experience more pleasure than pain in your life ,

your life is a good one• If you experience more pain n your life, your life is not a

good one• Utilitarianism – maximizing your pleasure and minimizing

your pain• Not all pleasures are the same• Various features of pleasure – their intensity duration, and

certainty

WHAT IS DUTY?

DUTY- is a matter of doing the right things at the right time- In certain circumstances, your

sense of “duty” would enable you to identify the thing that ought to be done in just that situation

- If you can swim, do you have the duty to save someone who is drowning

- The act of diving in to help, in this situation, is the right thing to do

DO WE HAVE A DUTY TO RESPOND?

• First Nations communities – Northern Ontario

ARISTOTLE (384-322 BCE)

• Good life is one of happiness and the ultimate end of life

• “living well” instead of a life of simply pleasure

• Some people may be satisfied living the life of brutes, most look for something else rather than accumulating pleasure

• Evidence: people will sacrifice pleasure to gain knowledge

• Knowledge, courage, and justice -- virtues

• A good life must be a virtuous one

• You must develop your special talents to be happy

• Exercise these talents in virtuous ways

• Temperance as a virtue – avoiding excesses

“Thus virtues are implanted in us neither by nature nor contrary to nature: we are by nature equipped with the ability to receive them, and habit brings this ability to completion and fulfillment.” - Aristotle

CONFUCIUS (551 – 479 BCE)• Chinese Philosopher• Questions of what makes a good and

virtuous life• Education can help form moral

character• Advocated for benevolent rule and

moral leadership over force• “your job is to govern, not kill”• His works collected by his followers in

“Discources”

CONFUCIUS PHILOSOPHY - DAO

• Virtues properly understood could not be dangerous

• The good life – “Dao” – life must be of virtue (De)

• Chief among his virtues:

Humanness (Ren) – benevolence, charity, kindness

Righteousness (Yi) – loyalty and conscientiousness “what you don’t want, don’t do to others”

Propriety (Li) – acting in accordance with the rules of moral action and norms of respectful behaviour

- A good life must be a virtuous life!!! – doesn’t have to be about self sacrifice because it is rewarding

CAN A GOOD LIFE FULFILL YOUR WANTS AND DESIRES?

• What are some of the things that you desire?

• How should they be gained?

• Does it matter whether you cheat or steal?

• Sometimes selfishness on your part is required for self-satisfaction

• Maybe the good life should be motivated by a desire to cater to your own wants and needs without any concern for the good of others

SHOULD PEOPLE LIVE SELFISHLY?Egoism – claims the the good life is one in which self-interest is the only fundamental object of pursuit in life

- Everything you do is motivated by your own wants and needs

- Show no consideration for the needs of others – unless it benefits you

Ex: you may not litter because you like living in a clean community, so if you deposit your trash in a trash can then you are helping others, given that they share the same belief as you

• If everyone was an egoist, they would be trying to get what they want at your expense

• If a group of egoists jumped on a bus, they would all want the one empty seat

• The greater success they have at living their lives, the greater the chance they will be getting in your way of living your own good or meaningful life

• The narrow pursuit of self interest is also at odds with he recognition of very basic moral duties

SOREN KIERKEGAARD (1813 – 1855)

• Danish existentialist Philosopher• Existence should not be taken for

granted• Honour your existence by taking full

advantage of your life• “it is impossible to exist without

passion”• You must commit fully to life and the

things that you do

EXISTENTIALISM – ONCE AGAIN…

• For people to truly exist, they must strive to give their lives meaning no matter how hard this is to do on one’s own

• People are completely free and can take responsibility for all their actions

• Many people do not recognize their freedom, and some are afraid of it

• A meaningful life requires people to overcome this fear and exercise their freedom to take responsibility for their own happiness

JEAN-PAUL SARTRE (1905-1980) – FREEDOM AS BURDEN

• Atheist and existentialist• Without God or an external reason to live,

humans left with a tremendous responsibility

• Believed the people are free to do what they choose

• No good external reason not to lie, cheat, or steal

• “condemned to be free”• Good life comes from the choices you make

SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR (1908-1986)• French existentialist Philosopher• Long time companion of Sartre• Agreed with concept of responsibility and freedom• A person must be aware of context• Circumstances may impede of prevent a person

from expressing the kind of freedom important to the good life

• Women are objectified - therefore cannot easily be free

• Urges women to rise above their circumstances – beyond objects to be free

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE?• Is life a journey?• What meaningful things

do you do?• What should you pursue

to gain a purposeful life?• Are you useful to your

community?

WHAT DOES PURPOSE MEAN?

Purpose: many different meanings

- Meaning as a tool or artifact, as a function, and as an intentional plan of life

How do you use the word purpose?

Purpose as Artifact– what is the purpose of a hammer?

Purpose as Function – what is the purpose of the heart? It pumps blood and sustains the human as a whole (this is its purpose – function)

Purpose as a Life Plan – a meaningful life is one people create for themselves- what is your purpose?

INTRINSIC VALUE • An important feature of a meaningful life• Most philosophers will agree• Activities must be engaged in for their own sakes• You can set out to be a good athlete (scholarship,

money) but does not make for a meaningful life if the sports are only a mean to other purposes

• Scholarships and money not thought of as being done for their own sakes (to get education, to live comfortably)

• Do it for you! As kids you have been taught the opposite!