Virtue Ethics: Definition Of Childhood And Happiness

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My final essay in conclusion to this course is focused on the topics of childhood and happiness. As I age, I have come to realize how retaining innocence can enrich our lives. Maybe the key to true happiness is contentment, to look upon your life and be thankful for what God has given you. Often adults get caught up in the what if, what if I can get that job promotion, or what if I don’t. To be an adult is to know stress, sometimes I think we just need to let go; to go back the basics. Don’t think about what you have to do, do what you want to do, even if just for a day. Relax, take a minute and live in the moment, stop thinking of the future or looking back on the past, just live for today.
I agree with Taylor in the sense that a child’s
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Though he realizes that the definition of happiness is evasive and varies based on the individual’s preferences. Taylor believes happiness is not just one thing, but instead there are several factors that make it up. In his chapter on Happiness, in Virtue Ethics, he describe these components: Pleasure, Possessions, Honor, Fame, Glory, Joy, and Exuberance. Taylor attempts to sum up his view on happiness in the following sentence, “The idea of happiness, we have suggested, contains the idea of fulfillment. We have also said that it is a state of being and not a mere feeling.” Happiness is not just a passing thought or feeling, it comes from a certain continuous …show more content…
Yes, a child has different values and requirements for happiness, they are not burden with responsibility or the struggles of the outside world and therefore will never have the same type of happiness as adults. That being said, what is happiness if not contentment? Was there ever a time when you were more content than as a child? My fondest memories relate back to my childhood, living without a care in the world besides your own personal satisfaction. Yes, we are not in control of our lives as a child but perhaps that is the beauty of it. We are free from the weights of responsibility, free to dream as we may, and free from worry.
Thoreau is the direct contrast of Taylor, he sees the importance of innocence and values a child’s perspective. In his essay, Life Without Principle, Thoreau warns us not to lose our innocence as we age. “As we grow old, we live more coarsely, we relax a little in our disciplines, and, to some extent, cease to obey our finest instincts.” (pg. 25) Thoreau’s definition of happiness varies slightly from Taylor’s point of view, he sees the child as the example of happiness and

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