What is the Good Life?
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are known as great men of thought and, though they didn’t start philosophy, they are pioneers of that field and some of their thoughts are still used today. While some of the philosopher’s opinions and viewpoints are very different form each other they all end up focusing on one question, “What is the good life?” Even though they don’t see eye to eye on quite a few things they still agree that the good life is the ultimate goal that all men strive for. They strongly believe that knowledge and reason are the keys to what the good life is and how to live it.
The good life is self-realization of one’s intellectual needs, obtaining knowledge through critical thought, and understanding there …show more content…
Each human has a purpose in their life, an end goal, and when they reach that purpose they gain a greater understanding of what life and the things in that life are, “Aristotle agrees with Plato that all things have a purpose or function, and understanding those purposes, goals, or functions is how to understand things themselves.” (Classical Ethics, 37). Aristotle also believes that a humans can’t have true happiness without truly satisfying what there function is, “… Aristotle argued that happiness is not possible without the excellent functioning of a human being’s unique capacity or ability, that is, reason.” (Classical Ethics, 48). The Philosophers discuss the fact that one must be virtues and becomes virtues when searching for the good life, “Thus, Plato concludes that moral virtue is ultimately based on knowledge of the Supreme Form of the Good.” (Classical Ethics, 31). Someone who has a happy life is a virtues person, filled with knowledge, and knows what their goals are, they are able to reflect on their life and be happy with what they
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are known as great men of thought and, though they didn’t start philosophy, they are pioneers of that field and some of their thoughts are still used today. While some of the philosopher’s opinions and viewpoints are very different form each other they all end up focusing on one question, “What is the good life?” Even though they don’t see eye to eye on quite a few things they still agree that the good life is the ultimate goal that all men strive for. They strongly believe that knowledge and reason are the keys to what the good life is and how to live it.
The good life is self-realization of one’s intellectual needs, obtaining knowledge through critical thought, and understanding there …show more content…
Each human has a purpose in their life, an end goal, and when they reach that purpose they gain a greater understanding of what life and the things in that life are, “Aristotle agrees with Plato that all things have a purpose or function, and understanding those purposes, goals, or functions is how to understand things themselves.” (Classical Ethics, 37). Aristotle also believes that a humans can’t have true happiness without truly satisfying what there function is, “… Aristotle argued that happiness is not possible without the excellent functioning of a human being’s unique capacity or ability, that is, reason.” (Classical Ethics, 48). The Philosophers discuss the fact that one must be virtues and becomes virtues when searching for the good life, “Thus, Plato concludes that moral virtue is ultimately based on knowledge of the Supreme Form of the Good.” (Classical Ethics, 31). Someone who has a happy life is a virtues person, filled with knowledge, and knows what their goals are, they are able to reflect on their life and be happy with what they