SOC SCI H1E Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Eudaimonia, Epicurus, Stoicism
6 Jul 2019
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Document Summary
Living in moderation is a form of rationality and reason. Happiness is a certain kind of life or activity that is in accordance with reason. Thus, for aristotle, eudaimonia happiness is simply defined as living a virtuous life, since fulfilling our function excellently is the only ultimate goal we can have. He says living virtue also gives hedonic pleasure. Contrast: platonic/ cardinal (christian) virtues: wisdom, moderation, justice. For aristotle, virtue was following a middle path between extreme excess and deficiency. We need external goods - goodly birth, good children, beauty. But this is so that we may act well. Fortune facilitates the living of the good life. Distinction between things that are in our control and things that are not in our control. You are just an appearance, this means nothing to me. Various pleasures, etc. that are outside of our control. To adjust desires/ aversions so we prefer things within our control to be in accordance with nature.
