{"id":645,"date":"2025-03-13T18:56:34","date_gmt":"2025-03-13T18:56:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppscphi1012ethics\/chapter\/3-3-attaining-a-good-life\/"},"modified":"2025-04-08T18:52:19","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T18:52:19","slug":"3-3-attaining-a-good-life","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/ppscphi1012ethics\/chapter\/3-3-attaining-a-good-life\/","title":{"raw":"3.3 Attaining a Good life","rendered":"3.3 Attaining a Good life"},"content":{"raw":"
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We all hope to have a good life, but what exactly does that mean? How can we pursue such a life if we are unclear as to what it looks like? Is \u201cthe good life\u201d pursuable at all, or is it simply a matter of luck? If you are reading this book, you probably believe that becoming an educated person has something to do with attaining a better life.<\/p>\r\n

Philosophers of ethics have debated this fundamental question for centuries. In this section we\u2019ll explore some philosophies which attempt to answer that question.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nWhat Is a Good Life?: Crash Course Philosophy #46<\/a> (7:79)<\/strong>\r\n\r\n[embed]https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Ra1Dmz-5HjU&t=98s[\/embed]\r\n\r\nIf you are experiencing issues viewing the video above, please use this link: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Ra1Dmz-5HjU&t=98s<\/a>\r\n

The Good Life and Happiness<\/h2>\r\n
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Enshrined in the American Declaration of Independence is the right to the \u201cpursuit of happiness.\u201d But what do we mean by happiness? How do we know we want to pursue it unless we know what we mean by it? Is it really happiness we should pursue, or something more enduring, more meaningful? Watch the following video and ask yourself whether you agree with the speaker\u2019s insights.<\/p>\r\n

Paradox of Happiness<\/a> (2:54)\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n[embed]https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=68zQpQwk-CM[\/embed]\r\n\r\nIf you are experiencing issues viewing the video above, please use this link: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=68zQpQwk-CM<\/a>\r\n\r\n \r\n

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Ponder if you will...<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

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Do you tend to agree or disagree with the argument in this video? If not happiness, what do we really want? Ask some friends whether they believe happiness is a \u201cparadox,\u201d a kind of \u201ctrap.\u201d What do you think they will say?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

The Good Life as a Life of Pleasure--Epicurus<\/h2>\r\n

Perhaps what we really seek is a \u201cGood Life,\u201d a life in which we make the best use of our time here on earth. Let\u2019s explore a few ways in which some ancient philosophers have sought to articulate the good life.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"220\"]\"Marble Epicurus (341\u2013270 BCE), Wikipedia.com<\/a>, Public Domain.[\/caption]\r\n

Epicurus was born in the early part of the year 344, BCE, near Athens. Some allege that Epicurus was born on the island of Samos, but, according to others, he was taken there when very young by his parents, who formed a portion of a colony of Athenian citizens, sent to colonize Samos after its subjugation by Pericles. The father and mother of Epicurus were in very humble circumstances; his father was a schoolmaster, and his mother, Ch\u00e6restrata, acted as a kind of priestess, curing diseases, exorcising ghosts, and exercising other fabulous powers. Epicurus had been charged with sorcery because he wrote several songs for his mother's solemn rites. Until eighteen, he remained at Samos until he moved to Athens, at which time he founded a school outside of Athens. He purchased a pleasant garden, where he taught his disciples until the time of his death.<\/p>\r\n

Epicurus suggested that pleasure is the sole end of beings. Morality is the art of procuring for oneself the greatest amount of personal pleasure and avoiding as much suffering as possible. He denied that the gods take interest in human affairs and therefore we should not worry about divine moral precepts or securing a positive afterlife. Human laws are merely those rules to which we agree to avoid harm. Morality, for Epicurus, is not following laws or the commands of the gods, but of seeking pleasure and avoiding pain.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Excerpt, Epicurus, Letter to <\/em>Menoeceus<\/em><\/h2>\r\n
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In what follows, consider...<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

What kinds of practices and beliefs does the author believe are conducive to happiness?<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Epicurus to Men\u0153ceus, Greeting<\/p>\r\n

Let no one delay to study philosophy while he is young, and when he is old let him not become weary of the study; for no man can ever find the time unsuitable or too late to study the health of his soul. And he who asserts either that it is not yet time to philosophize, or that the hour is passed, is like a man who should say that the time has not yet come to be happy, or that it is too late. So that both young and old should study philosophy, the one in order that, when he is old, he may be young in good things through the pleasing recollection of the past, and the other in order that he may be at the same time both young and old, in consequence of his absence of fear for the future.<\/p>\r\n

It is right then for a man to consider the things which produce happiness, since, if happiness is present, we have everything, and when it is absent, we do everything with a view to possess it. Now, what I have constantly recommended to you, these things I would have you do and practice, considering them to be the elements of living well.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Why does Epicurus counsel his student to disregard the gods?<\/div>\r\n
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First of all, believe that a god is an incorruptible and happy being, as the common opinion of the world dictates; and attach to your theology nothing which is inconsistent with incorruptibility or with happiness; and think that a deity is invested with everything which is able to preserve this happiness, in conjunction with incorruptibility. For there are gods; for our knowledge of them is distinct. But they are not of the character which people in general attribute to them; for they do not pay a respect to them which accords with the ideas that they entertain of them. And that man is not impious who discards the gods believed in by the many, but he who applies to the gods the opinions entertained of them by the many. For the assertions of the many about the gods are not anticipations, but false opinions. And in consequence of these, the greatest evils which befall wicked men, and the benefits which are conferred on the good, are all attributed to the gods; for they connect all their ideas of them with a comparison of human virtues, and everything which is different from human qualities, they regard as incompatible with the divine nature.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Why should we not fear death?<\/div>\r\n

Accustom yourself also to think death a matter with which we are not at all concerned, since all good and all evil is in sensation, and since death is only the privation of sensation. On which account, the correct knowledge of the fact that death is no concern of ours, makes the mortality of life pleasant to us, inasmuch as it sets forth no illimitable time, but relieves us for the longing for immortality. For there is nothing terrible in living to a man who rightly comprehends that there is nothing terrible in ceasing to live; so that he was a silly man who said that he feared death, not because it would grieve him when it was present, but because it did grieve him while it was future. For it is very absurd that that which does not distress a man when it is present, should afflict him only when expected. Therefore, the most formidable of evils, death, is nothing to us, since, when we exist, death is not present to us; and when death is present, then we have no existence. It is no concern then either of the living or of the dead; since to the one it has no existence, and the other class has no existence itself. But people in general, at times flee from death as the greatest of evils, and at times wish for it as a rest from the evils in life. Nor is the not-living a thing feared, since living is not connected with it: nor does the wise man think not-living an evil; but, just as he chooses food, not preferring that which is most abundant, but that which is nicest; so too, he enjoys time, not measuring it as to whether it is of the greatest length, but as to whether it is most agreeable. And, they say, he who enjoins a young man to live well, and an old man to die well, is a simpleton, not only because of the constantly delightful nature of life, but also because the care to live well is identical with the care to die well. And he was still more wrong who said:<\/p>\r\n

'Tis well to taste of life, and then when born To pass with quickness to the shades below.<\/p>\r\n

For if this really was his opinion, why did he not quit life? For it was easily in his power to do so, if it really was his belief. But if he was joking, then he was talking foolishly in a case where it ought not to be allowed; and, we must recollect, that the future is not our own, nor, on the other hand, is it wholly not our own, I mean so that we can never altogether await it with a feeling of certainty that it will be, nor altogether despair of it as what will never be.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

What should we make of human passions and urges?<\/div>\r\n

And we must consider that some of the passions are natural, and some empty; and of the natural ones some are necessary, and some merely natural. And of the necessary ones, some are necessary to happiness, and others, with regard to the exemption of the body from trouble; and others with respect to living itself; for a correct theory, with regard to these things, can refer all choice and avoidance to the health of the body and the freedom from disquietude of the soul. Since this is the end of living happily; for it is for the sake of this that we do everything, wishing to avoid grief and fear; and when once this is the case, with respect to us, then the storm of the soul is, as I may say, put an end to; since the animal is unable to go as if to something deficient, and to seek something different from that by which the good of the soul and body will be perfected.<\/p>\r\n

For then we have need of pleasure when we grieve, because pleasure is not present; but when we do not grieve, then we have no need of pleasure; and on this account, we affirm, that pleasure is the beginning and end of living happily; for we have recognized this as the first good, being connate with us; and with reference to it, it is that we begin every choice and avoidance; and to this we come as if we judged of all good by passion as the standard; and, since this is the first good and connate with us, on this account we do not choose every pleasure, but at times we pass over many pleasures when any difficulty is likely to ensue from them; and we think many pains better than pleasures, when a greater pleasure follows them, if we endure the pain for time.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

What are the pleasures we should be pursuing?<\/div>\r\n

Every pleasure is therefore a good on account of its own nature, but it does not follow that every pleasure is worthy of being chosen; just as every pain is an evil, and yet every pain must not be avoided. But it is right to estimate all these things by the measurement and view of what is suitable and unsuitable; for at times we may feel the good as an evil, and at times, on the contrary, we may feel the evil as good. And, we think, contentment a great good, not in order that we may never have but a little, but in order that, if we have not much, we may make use of a little, being genuinely persuaded that those men enjoy luxury most completely who are the best able to do without it; and that everything which is natural is easily provided, and what is useless is not easily procured. And simple flavors give as much pleasure as costly fare, when everything that can give pain, and every feeling of want, is removed; and bread and water give the most extreme pleasure when any one in need eats them. To accustom oneself, therefore, to simple and inexpensive habits is a great ingredient in the perfecting of health and makes a man free from hesitation with respect to the necessary uses of life. And when we, on certain occasions, fall in with more sumptuous fare, it makes us in a better disposition towards it, and renders us fearless with respect to fortune. When, therefore, we say that pleasure is a chief good, we are not speaking of the pleasures of the debauched man, or those which lie in sensual enjoyment, as some think who are ignorant, and who do not entertain our opinions, or else interpret them perversely; but we mean the freedom of the body from pain, and the soul from confusion. For it is not continued drinking and revels, or the enjoyment of female society, or feasts of fish and other such things, as a costly table supplies, that make life pleasant, but sober contemplation, which examines into the reasons for all choice and avoidance, and which puts to flight the vain opinions from which the greater part of the confusion arises which troubles the soul.1<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\r\n

We shall return to some of Epicurus\u2019 ideas about pleasure when we look at the ideas of Jeremy Bentham in our chapter on Utilitarianism.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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Ponder if you will\u2026.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

Is Epicurus, right? Is pleasure what we mean by happiness? Is the pursuit of pleasure the best way to attain a Good Life?<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

The Good Life as a Life of Acceptance and Equanimity--Epictetus<\/h2>\r\n

For a very different explanation of the Good Life, let\u2019s look at the slave and philosopher Epictetus, a Stoic.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"437\"]\"Epictetus\" Epictetus, (c 50-130 CE) Wikimedia.com<\/a>, CC BY 2.0<\/a>.d[\/caption]\r\n

Epictetus (c. 50\u2014c. 130) was born a slave in Asia Minor, earned his freedom after being under Nero's secretary in Rome, and died sometime following his exile by Domitian in northwestern Greece. During the last years of his life, he established a school of study based on a curriculum of logic, physics, and ethics, continuing the Stoic tradition begun by Zeno of Citium four centuries earlier.<\/p>\r\n

The Stoic way of life is a practical attitude that involves focusing on what is in one's control, living in the present, and improving oneself. It's characterized by a settled disposition, and people who live in this way are often described as emotionally intelligent and calm under pressure.<\/p>\r\n

Unlike many other Stoics, Epictetus avoided religious and political activism. In his moral philosophy, he emphasizes Socratic self-knowledge and insight and recognizes that each person is responsible for his choices in accordance with his active perception and interpretation of his circumstances. Epictetus' and, later, Spinoza's notion of active perception undoubtedly influenced Nietzsche's observation that a mark of the\u00a0\"new man\"\u00a0is his ability to will the present moment in spite of its inevitability. Epictetus once wrote,\u00a0\"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.\"\u00a0\"What you are,\"\u00a0then, is obviously not determined by the outcome of your choices.\u00a0\"What you are\"\u00a0is not how you are perceived to be but\u00a0\"how you choose to be.\"\u00a0He sought a simple, independent life as a citizen of the world.<\/p>\r\n

As a slave, reportedly, Epictetus, was treated harshly by his master, Epaphroditus. On one occasion, as Epaphroditus twisted his leg horribly, Epictetus remarked,\u00a0\"If you keep twisting, the leg will break.\"\u00a0His master took no notice and the leg snapped. Epictetus reminded him of the warning. Whether from this incident or whether from birth, Epictetus's lameness remained throughout his life.<\/p>\r\n

In his\u00a0Enchiridion<\/em>, a work recorded by his student Arrian, Epictetus describes how the philosophical life, achievable by reason, has as its end\u00a0eudaimonia<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(happiness). Epictetus continued the Stoic character is living with\u00a0arete<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0in accordance with nature; by doing so, he believed any person can attain the practical characteristics of\u00a0apatheia<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(composedness, willful avoidance of desires) and the resultant\u00a0eupatheiai<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(feelings of well-being). Since we can control our thoughts and feelings, they have value. Since we cannot control external events or circumstances, these events have no intrinsic value but are only\u00a0\"that which is to be what they are\"\u00a0and what we choose to make of them. On one hand, Epictetus carefully points out that mistaken judgments are the sole source of fear, greed, envy, and passion. On the other hand, oral and rational\u00a0arete<\/em>\u00a0(excellence or virtue) is sufficient for emotional freedom and happiness.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Excerpts from, Epictetus,\u00a0The Enchiridion<\/em><\/h2>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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In what follows,<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

\r\n\r\nWhy should we remember the distinction Epicurus makes between things in our control and things outside of our control?\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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Some things are in our control and others not. Things in our control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever are our own actions. Things not in our control are body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word, whatever are not our own actions.<\/p>\r\n

The things in our control are by nature free, unrestrained, unhindered; but those not in our control are weak, slavish, restrained, belonging to others.<\/p>\r\n

Remember, then, that if you suppose that things which are slavish by nature are also free, and that what belongs to others is your own, then you will be hindered. You will lament, you will be disturbed, and you will find fault both with gods and men. But if you suppose that only to be your own which is your own, and what belongs to others such as it really is, then no one will ever compel you or restrain you. Further, you will find fault with no one or accuse no one. You will do nothing against your will. No one will hurt you, you will have no enemies, and you will not be harmed.\u2026<\/p>\r\n\r\n

How does controlling our desires lead to happiness?<\/div>\r\n

Remember that following desire seeks to attain that which you desire; and avoidance seeks to avoid that to which you are averse. However, he who fails to obtain the object of his desire is disappointed, and he who incurs the object of his aversion wretched. If then, you confine your aversion to those objects only which are contrary to the natural use of your faculties, which you have in your own control, you will never incur anything to which you are averse. But if you are averse to sickness, or death, or poverty, you will be wretched. Remove aversion, then, from all things that are not in our control, and transfer it to things contrary to the nature of what is in our control. But, for the present, totally suppress desire: for, if you desire any of the things which are not in your own control, you must necessarily be disappointed; and of those which are, and which it would be laudable to desire, nothing is yet in your possession. Use only the appropriate actions of pursuit and avoidance; and even these lightly, and with gentleness and reservation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

How does deeper analysis of the objects of our desires and the natures of our actions aid in our happiness?<\/div>\r\n

With regard to whatever objects give you delight, are useful, or are deeply loved, remember to tell yourself of what general nature they are, beginning from the most insignificant things. If, for example, you are fond of a specific ceramic cup, remind yourself that it is only ceramic cups in general of which you are fond. Then, if it breaks, you will not be disturbed. If you kiss your child, or your wife, say that you only kiss things which are human, and thus you will not be disturbed if either of them dies.<\/p>\r\n

When you are going about any action, remind yourself what nature the action is. If you are going to bathe, picture to yourself the things which usually happen in the bath: some people splash the water, some push, some use abusive language, and others steal. Thus you will more safely go about this action if you say to yourself,\u00a0\"I will now go bathe, and keep my own mind in a state conformable to nature.\"\u00a0And in the same manner with regard to every other action. For thus, if any hindrance arises in bathing, you will have it ready to say,\u00a0\"It was not only to bathe that I desired, but to keep my mind in a state conformable to nature; and I will not keep it if I am bothered at things that happen.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n

What, really, is the cause of our unhappiness?<\/div>\r\n

Men are disturbed, not by things, but by the principles and notions which they form concerning things. Death, for instance, is not terrible, else it would have appeared so to Socrates. But the terror consists in our notion of death that it is terrible. When therefore we are hindered, or disturbed, or grieved, let us never attribute it to others, but to ourselves; that is, to our own principles. An uninstructed person will lay the fault of his own bad condition upon others. Someone just starting instruction will lay the fault on himself. Some who is perfectly instructed will place blame neither on others nor on himself.\u2026<\/p>\r\n

Remember that you must behave in life as at a dinner party. Is anything brought around to you? Put out your hand and take your share with moderation. Does it pass by you? Don't stop it. Is it not yet here? Don't stretch your desire towards it but wait till it reaches you. Do this with regard to children, to a wife, to public posts, to riches, and you will eventually be a worthy partner of the feasts of the gods. And if you don't even take the things which are set before you, but are able even to reject them, then you will not only be a partner at the feasts of the gods, but also of their empire. For, by doing this, Diogenes, Heraclitus and others like them, deservedly became, and were called, divine.<\/p>\r\n

When you see anyone weeping in grief because his son has gone abroad, or is dead, or because he has suffered in his affairs, be careful that the appearance may not misdirect you. Instead, distinguish within your own mind, and be prepared to say,\u00a0\"It's not the accident that distresses this person, because it doesn't distress another person; it is the judgment which he makes about it.\"\u00a0As far as words go, however, don't reduce yourself to his level, and certainly do not moan with him. Do not moan inwardly either.<\/p>\r\n

Remember that you are an actor in a drama, of such a kind as the author pleases to make it. If short, of a short one; if long, of a long one. If it is his pleasure, you should act a poor man, a cripple, a governor, or a private person, see that you act it naturally. For this is your business, to act well the character assigned you; to choose it is another's.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

The Good Life as a Life of Virtue--Plato<\/h2>\r\n

In most societies, character matters. The ancient Greeks certainly believed this. They spoke of the v<\/strong>irtues<\/strong>\u2014traits of character that one must cultivate throughout one\u2019s life if one wished to be fully happy. The virtues included moral traits, intellectual traits and even physical traits.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Virtues<\/caption>\r\n
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Moral Virtues<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Intellectual Virtues<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Physical Virtues<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n

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Courage (Andreia<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

Temperance (Sophrosyne<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

Justice (Dikaiosyne<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

Prudence (Phronesis<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

Generosity (Eleutheriotes<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

Magnificence (Megaloprepeia<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

Magnanimity (Megalopsychia<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

Righteous Indignation (Nemesis<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Wisdom (Sophia<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

Intelligence (Nous<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

Science\/Scientific Knowledge (Episteme<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

Practical Wisdom (Phronesis<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

Craftmanship\/Art (Techne<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

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Strength (Ischus<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

Speed (Tachutes<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

Health (Hygeia<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

Beauty (Kallos<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

Dexterity (Dexiotes<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

It's worth noting that the Greeks often saw these virtues as interconnected. For example, the concept of kagathos<\/em> represented an ideal of a person who was both physically beautiful and morally good.<\/p>\r\n

In Plato's Republic<\/em>, there is a central analogy between the structure of the ideal city (polis<\/em>) and the structure of the human soul (psyche<\/em>). Plato argues that both the city and the soul should be governed in similar ways, with reason ruling over the other parts. Plato divides the soul into three parts:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    \r\n \t
  • Reason (l<\/em>ogistikon<\/em>): The rational, thinking part of the soul.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Spirit (t<\/em>humos<\/em>): The spirited, emotional part of the soul.<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Appetite (e<\/em>pithumetikon<\/em>): The desiring, appetitive part of the soul.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

    Correspondingly, Plato divides the ideal city into three classes:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

      \r\n \t
    • Guardians\/Rulers: Philosophers who govern the city.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Auxiliaries: Soldiers who defend the city.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Producers: Craftsmen, farmers, and merchants who provide for the city's needs.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

      Plato argues that just as the soul should be governed by reason, the city should be governed by the wisest members -- the philosopher-kings. Here's how the parallel works:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

        \r\n \t
      • Reason\/Guardians: Should rule and make decisions for the whole.<\/li>\r\n \t
      • Spirit\/Auxiliaries: Should support the decisions of reason\/rulers.<\/li>\r\n \t
      • Appetite\/Producers: Should be moderated and controlled by the higher parts.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

        For Plato, justice occurs when each part performs its proper function without interfering with the others. In the soul, this means reason rules, supported by spirit, keeping the appetites in check. In the city, this means the wise rule, supported by the brave, while the producers focus on their specific tasks.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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        Ponder if you will...<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

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        Consider again the table of virtues above. Which virtues strengthen our reasoning capacities and would be important to the development of the Guardians? Which cultivate our spirited soul and would serve the needs of the Auxiliaries? And which would improve the lives and productivity of the Producers?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

        Excerpts from Plato\u2019s Republic<\/em>, Book IV<\/h2>\r\n

        When a man has the several parts of his nature in tune, like the strings of an instrument, working together in perfect harmony, that is justice. And when these parts are out of tune, that is injustice.<\/p>\r\n

        Justice is not an external matter of acting correctly, but an internal state of the soul. A just man is a man at harmony with himself, where reason rules, spirit supports, and appetites are controlled. Such a person does not let the base part of his nature dominate the divine part but keeps the different elements of his soul in their proper relationship, becoming truly self-disciplined, noble, and good.<\/p>\r\n

        Consider the soul as having three parts: reason, which should govern like a ruler; spirit, which should be reason's ally and support; and appetite, which represents the largest part of the soul and must be kept in check. When reason, guided by wisdom, commands; spirit, fueled by courage, supports; and appetites are moderated by temperance - then we have a soul in perfect balance.<\/p>\r\n

        The truly virtuous person is not someone who simply follows rules, but someone who has cultivated an inner landscape where wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice naturally emerge. Such a person acts rightly not out of fear of punishment or desire for reward, but because their very nature is aligned with the good.<\/p>\r\n

        Just as a well-tuned musical instrument produces harmony, a well-ordered soul produces a life of excellence. This is not a static condition, but a continuous process of self-cultivation, of aligning one's inner self with the highest principles of reason and virtue.<\/p>\r\n

        The good life, therefore, is not measured by external success or pleasure, but by the internal state of one's soul - by how closely one's actions, thoughts, and desires are harmonized under the guidance of reason, creating a state of profound inner peace and integrity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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        Ponder if you will...<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

        \r\n

        Do you agree with Socrates that justice for a city is basically a matter of everyone doing the work proper to them? Should we start thinking of career counselors as part of our society\u2019s justice system? How does everyone doing one of the jobs for which he or she is best suited enable wisdom, courage, and temperance to flourish in a city?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

        We shall explore the Virtues in more depth in our chapter on Virtue Ethics.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n

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        Citation and Use<\/strong><\/p>\r\n1<\/a>. Epicurus, \u201cLetter to Menoeceus,\u201d in Lives of Eminent Philosophers. Diogenes Laertius. R.D. Hicks. Cambridge. Harvard University Press. 1972 (First published 1925). 187\u201393, http:\/\/www.perseus.tufts.edu\/hopper\/text?doc=urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0004.tlg001.perseus-eng1:10.1<\/span><\/a>. The work is in the Public Domain.\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"

        \n

        We all hope to have a good life, but what exactly does that mean? How can we pursue such a life if we are unclear as to what it looks like? Is \u201cthe good life\u201d pursuable at all, or is it simply a matter of luck? If you are reading this book, you probably believe that becoming an educated person has something to do with attaining a better life.<\/p>\n

        Philosophers of ethics have debated this fundamental question for centuries. In this section we\u2019ll explore some philosophies which attempt to answer that question.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

        What Is a Good Life?: Crash Course Philosophy #46<\/a> (7:79)<\/strong><\/p>\n