Philosophy isn't about choosing a winner...
If one takes just one philosopher and subscribes to just that train of thought, we miss the whole point of Eudemonia. Happiness, well being, human flourishing can be found in a combination of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Nietzsche (not my personal favorite), and Kant's teachings. Isn't that the definition of human flourishing? To build upon ideas and be better than we were before those ideas were introduced?
We get some great gems from Socrates, and the one that stands out to me is, "An unexamined life is not worth living". His words have us looking to who and what we are. Plato says, "Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something". Do we really know what we are talking about? Have we looked at the issue from another's perspective? Aristotle reminds us, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit". It reminds me often to practice what I want to be. If I do not like the results, then I must change what I am doing. Einstein alluded to this in his definition of insanity.
Looking at the 19th century philosopher Nietzsche, I have more issues with than I would like. I value equality, compassion, and self-sacrifice. There is no denying his influence has touched me though. I am a great believer in his quote, "That which does not kill us, makes us stronger". I may not like a lot of what he believes, perhaps because I am a religious person, but I think he does provide a perspective that at least deserves examining. Kant, on the other hand was also difficult for me to choose as my ideal of the good life. I believe that every person has the capacity to do good. I do not believe that we as humans are virtuous in and of ourselves. It is a concept that we strive for. Anyone who has children will tell you that no one had to teach them how to be "bad" (I use this term very loosely). The reason they call it the terrible twos is that they naturally will do whatever it takes to get what they want. We, as their parent, by our responses teach them what is acceptable behavior. One of the Kant quotes that I really like is "Seek not the favor of the multitude; it is seldom got by honest and lawful means. But seek the testimony of few; and number not voices, but weigh them". Something we probably do not do enough of.
It's funny that when I looked up wisdom, I found a great definition from Wikipedia:
Wisdom, sapience, or sagacity, is the ability to think and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight. Wisdom is associated with attributes such as compassion, experiential self-knowledge, non-attachment and virtues such as ethics and benevolence. Wikipedia
It was not so easy to find the definition to happiness and well being. Perhaps because to each and every one of us it means something different. I remember one of our classmates saying happiness is having something to eat. A basic need that almost all of us take for granted. I believe our student body would be shocked to know how many of our fellow students do not have a place to sleep at night.
What I do find is that we can take something from each of these men and build something amazing with your life. As Aristotle reminds us, wealth ..."is merely useful and for the sake of something else". Seek your truth and in that, I believe you will find Eudemonia. For me, I find it in my faith and service to others. For you it will be something else entirely. No matter what you decide that is, it is my wish that you find it.
We get some great gems from Socrates, and the one that stands out to me is, "An unexamined life is not worth living". His words have us looking to who and what we are. Plato says, "Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something". Do we really know what we are talking about? Have we looked at the issue from another's perspective? Aristotle reminds us, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit". It reminds me often to practice what I want to be. If I do not like the results, then I must change what I am doing. Einstein alluded to this in his definition of insanity.
Looking at the 19th century philosopher Nietzsche, I have more issues with than I would like. I value equality, compassion, and self-sacrifice. There is no denying his influence has touched me though. I am a great believer in his quote, "That which does not kill us, makes us stronger". I may not like a lot of what he believes, perhaps because I am a religious person, but I think he does provide a perspective that at least deserves examining. Kant, on the other hand was also difficult for me to choose as my ideal of the good life. I believe that every person has the capacity to do good. I do not believe that we as humans are virtuous in and of ourselves. It is a concept that we strive for. Anyone who has children will tell you that no one had to teach them how to be "bad" (I use this term very loosely). The reason they call it the terrible twos is that they naturally will do whatever it takes to get what they want. We, as their parent, by our responses teach them what is acceptable behavior. One of the Kant quotes that I really like is "Seek not the favor of the multitude; it is seldom got by honest and lawful means. But seek the testimony of few; and number not voices, but weigh them". Something we probably do not do enough of.
It's funny that when I looked up wisdom, I found a great definition from Wikipedia:
Wisdom, sapience, or sagacity, is the ability to think and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight. Wisdom is associated with attributes such as compassion, experiential self-knowledge, non-attachment and virtues such as ethics and benevolence. Wikipedia
It was not so easy to find the definition to happiness and well being. Perhaps because to each and every one of us it means something different. I remember one of our classmates saying happiness is having something to eat. A basic need that almost all of us take for granted. I believe our student body would be shocked to know how many of our fellow students do not have a place to sleep at night.
What I do find is that we can take something from each of these men and build something amazing with your life. As Aristotle reminds us, wealth ..."is merely useful and for the sake of something else". Seek your truth and in that, I believe you will find Eudemonia. For me, I find it in my faith and service to others. For you it will be something else entirely. No matter what you decide that is, it is my wish that you find it.
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