Intro to Philosophy
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Transcript of Intro to Philosophy
Intro to PhilosophyLesson 3:
Aristotle’s on HappinessThe Structure of an Essay
Aristotle
384-322 BCE Student of Plato Tutored Alexander
the Great Influential in
numerous fields: logic, rhetoric, zoology, metaphysics, theology, etc.
Greek Philosophers
What Did Aristotle Get Wrong?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI47KuwaxTQ
Telos (τελοσ)
“Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim.”
The Lower Supports the Higher:Some ends are middle grounds to a higher end, these are necessary but not sufficient.
What is our ultimate end?
Discussion
Everyone acts in accordance with what they perceive to be in their best interests (i.e. the good).
1. How is this true of drug addicts?2. How is this true of children?3. Is there a case in which this is not true?
Happiness (ευδαιμονια)
Happiness is the highest good because it is the goal toward which all other things aim. Pleasure – everyone feels pleasure whether good or bad Honor – honor is not something we can control or give
ourselves Wealth – wealth is by nature intermediate
“Activity of soul (reason) in accordance with virtue (excellence) to the best and most complete (endurance)” Reason – the activity unique to humans Excellence – something that works as it is supposed to work Endurance – having some permanence, not fleeting
Virtue & the “Golden Mean”
Every good characteristic represents an intermediate estate between:EXCESS (too much) and DEFICIENCY (not enough)
No magic formula – subjective in application – it depends on the person
Phronesis (φρόνησις) – “Practical Wisdom”
Practice
CourageGenerosity
Modesty
Cowardice
Stinginess
Humility
FoolishExtravagance
Pride
Practice
Insensibility
LoquacityIrritability
Honesty
Temperance
Composure
SecrecySelf-Indulgence
Apathy
Learning Virtue
Developing Good Habits: “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them…In one word, states of character arise out of like activities” (outside-in)
Exemplar is necessary The political philosopher is the “architect of the end” The material foundation of happiness
Although material goods are lower goods, they are necessary for happiness
We do not have the ability to use reason properly without training (education requires material basis: teachers, books, infrastructure, etc.)
We do not have the luxury to philosophize if we are constantly busy attending to the basic necessities of life
True Virtue: 3 Conditions
Act out of good character Must be done as an expression of character
rather than as a struggle against character Must be chosen for its own sake (motive)
A conscious decision to eschew all other goals for the sake of this goal
Must be understood You have to know what you’re doing
The Highest Good
The ultimate goal of human life is to use our highest capacity to its fullest extent
That capacity is ‘reason’ as the unique function of humans (soul)
True happiness comes from contemplating the source of reason (mind, νους)
Contemplation (θεωρία) – putting our soul into contact with eternal, unchanging reality
Jesus and Aristotle
Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5-7) “Blessed” (makarioi) ~= “Happy” (eudaimonia) Virtues, principles, and practices Jesus as exemplar or embodiment See also: 2 Cor. 3:18 “And all of us, with unveiled faces,
seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.”
The Structure of a Philosophical Essay
State the proposition to be proved Give the argument for the proposition Show that the argument is valid Show that the premises are true State the upshot of what has been proven
Procrastinator’s Bible
Think of a topic Simplify it: create a thesis (or opinion) about it Think of reasons why people should believe it {Remember the Virtues: clarity, precision,
orderliness, and simplicity} Summarize