PHL201H1 Lecture 11: PHL205 Lecture 11
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
1
PHL205 Lecture 11
Happiness
- Happiness is the perfect good (eudamonia)
- God is the perfect good
• Therefore, God is happiness.
- This is a problematic argument because we are talking about two different kinds of
happiness. The first premise is talking about good as in that which human beings
strive towards—desirable. God being good is that good is perfection. This is a fallacy.
- Even if we assume that the argument is valid, Happiness is a state but God is a thing,
how can these two things go together?
- Is Boethius overstepping the bounds of philosophy
- Isn’t becoming God (i.e. becoming happy) becoming another kind of thing? Wouldn’t it
be strange is achieving human happiness would entail loosing our humanity?
- Happiness gives us:
• Power—because nothing else has power over you. If you don’t value your body,
you cannot be threatened. If you don’t seek wealth, you have nothing to lose.
• Sufficiency
- Socrates—these things give you glory.
Good and Evil and Justice
- Why is Boethius in prison, though he is good, despite the fact that bad people are
getting away with it? How is this true especially in a world governed by God?
- Boethius ultimately argues that despite appearances the people who are good do
better and those who do bad are ultimately worse off.
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
God is the perfect good: therefore, god is happiness. This is a problematic argument because we are talking about two different kinds of happiness. The first premise is talking about good as in that which human beings strive towards desirable. God being good is that good is perfection. Is boethius overstepping the bounds of philosophy. Happiness gives us: power because nothing else has power over you. If you don"t value your body, you cannot be threatened. If you don"t seek wealth, you have nothing to lose: sufficiency. Boethius ultimately argues that despite appearances the people who are good do better and those who do bad are ultimately worse off. The power always lies with the good: to act successfully we need will and capability. Someone has achieved his wish has also had the capability. Someone who achieves what she wants is stronger than someone who doesn"t.
