PHIL 1290 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Roundedness, Self-Control
Document Summary
Part of happiness depends on things outside of our control. Let"s focus on the things we can make better. What is happiness: wealth, health, knowledge, contemplation/learning, satifisfactory job, family/friends, respect, long life. Excellence is rare so to have long lasting relationships, you must put some effort into maintaining the relationship. So you must do things to get these. What can we do to increase the chance of gaining happiness: vegetative level, animal level. Man is a rational animal says aristotle: rational level. Neither children nor animals are capable of fully experiencing happiness. Happiness is a sort of roundedness or complexity . Living in a vicious society makes happiness harder to achieve, therefore you want excellence in society and the individual. For aristotle we are a particular form and matter, so soul means how you are defined as being what you are. Aristotle wants virtue in everyone, with virtue meaning excellence (in action) Some excellences are moral and some are not.
