Analysis Of Richard Taylor's Virtue Ethics

In Virtue Ethics, the author Richard Taylor goes into deep detail when explaining the basis of happiness involving pleasures. Taylor felt that most people were not interested in finding out what happiness truly is because in their minds there is already an idea of what it entails. Because people are so unwilling to examine their own misconception of happiness, they often look to pleasures as a form of happiness. They may seem the same as so many links happiness and pleasures together but they are ultimately different. Happiness is complicated because of all that it takes to reach this end. There may be times when you are happy and can also be unhappy but either way you will go through trials and tribulations to meet the goal of happiness. This is why happiness is considered to be more of a state of one’s mind and not how a person may feel. External goods encompass vast feelings and can maneuver from one feeling to another whereas, happiness is just that or unhappiness. Taylor talks much about these external goods which are things such as wealth, fame and glory that are all a part of happiness. Although he explains that these are a part of happiness he emphasizes that they do not outline a happy or good life. He explains in detail that although these components in external goods are necessary in shaping a happy life, they do not have the power it takes to make a happy …show more content…
As mentioned, in my view happiness as well as unhappiness occurs moment to moment in life with each accomplishment, downfall, disappointment or enjoyment. An example of happiness occurring moment to moment in life would be the birth of a new born baby. This happiness of witnessing a new birth is a happiness that we can and mostly experience before the end of life. An example of unhappiness would be experiencing the death of a loved one. This is an unhappiness which we can also experience before the end of