Human Goal in Life

Happiness and balance

To be happy and act in a good way we should keep our soul in peace and balance

All the three elements should be in balance and governed by ratio

People and their types and position in society can be defined according to dominance of one or another element

Aristotle

Ethics is not a theoretical discipline: it is important in order to reach what is good in our lives

Ethics is about cultivating good character

Good Character makes or allows person to act rightly and morally

Focus on “Ethics of Being” (virtues) rather than “Ethics of doing”, but there is unity of being and doing since if you are a good person, you do good things

How to cultivate good character? We do that by realization of appropriate ends/goals (telos)

Happiness is a goal of human life and the meaning of life

A person is happy when he/she can accomplish his/her proper task: for example, the musician when he can play good music

Happiness is a virtuous activity (not just being in a state or a condition, but doing right).

à Eudaimonia: Real happiness that can be reached only developing a virtuous character in accordance with reason

According to Aristotle, happiness is neither pleasure nor material nor social gain. It has to do with inner peace, personal well-being and balance

Moral virtues come with habitual practice

Greek work “Ethos” - habit

The goal of a human being as such is neither simple nutrition (plants) nor perception (animals), but living through reason, that is, virtuous activity

So in order to be happy a man should be virtuous (following virtue), and pleasure is strictly connected with virtue

Virtue depends on the means a man is using to get what he desires: a free choice

Two kind of virtues:

1) Moral virtues: following reason over passions in determining good mores (for example, justice, temperance, courage…)

2) Intellectual virtues: the exercise of reason (for example, practical wisdom, theoretical wisdom, science…)

We exercise our reason in two ways:

- Practical thinking/reason (phronesis)

- Theoretical reasoning – discovering of higher truths

Potentially all free males can become ethically virtuous and practically wise through two stages:

- Habits developed since their childhood

Practical Wisdom is acquired in adulthood

Friendship

Three reasons for loving someone:

1) he/she is good

2) he/she is useful

3) he/she is pleasant

Дата добавления: 2015-10-28