Kant Happiness

The Balance That Leads To Fulfilment The key to a fulfilling life is found in the balance between happiness and rightfulness. One must search for pleasure while simultaneously maintaining a staunch moral compass and a tenacious respect for his fellow man. It is of dire importance that man cause no harm to his peers in his pursuit of happiness. It is this avoidance of wickedness, as Socrates put it, which leads to a fulfilling life. The harmony gained from doing the right thing is a key component of happiness. In order to be truly happy, one also must be just. Happiness itself can be defined as the state joy and fulfilment. However, there are many factors that lead up to this ultimate bliss, and pinpointing which factors hold the most value …show more content…
He holds that in every scenario there is a correct action; that is an action with an outcome that causes no harm. Whether this action is “right” or not is a separate matter. Kant holds that if an action is unjust in one scenario, it is unjust in all scenarios. Lying for example. Kant believes that lying is inherently wrong. If looked at from a universal point of view, lying is detrimental to society. If everyone were to lie, we would not be able to trust anyone. To Kant, to allow lying in any scenario is to allow it in all scenarios, which is unjust. With all this being said, Kant holds that sometimes lying can be the correct action to take, that sometimes the correct thing to do is unjust. For example, Kant sets up a scenario where someone comes to your door looking to kill your friend who is hiding inside. In this case, lying about the location of your friend is correct and necessary. While Kant still sees this as an unjust action, he understands the necessity lying in this case. Kant also claims that we must follow universal law and do the “right” thing despite our inclination. Sometimes we will feel the urge to do something, but must use our good will to fight the impulse. In doing so, we preserve universal law and keep society true and …show more content…
I want to be happy, but it is also of immense importance that I act rightfully, putting duty above pleasure. Focusing on duty alone will bring me pleasure, leading me to a fulfilled life. I must also use this balance to steady my needs and the needs of others. It is of great value that I consider and help other with their needs. In doing so however, I must realize that I have my own needs, and at times I will have to put them in front of others in order to properly help them. Throughout life, the balance of things will change, and we must adapt to whatever leads to the correct result of the situation we are in. Sometimes we will have to do the “right” thing. Other times we must do the “wrong” thing for the greater good. Sometimes personal needs will be the most important. Other times the needs of others will be more valuable. As we move forwards, we must constantly take this into consideration, as this is the key to