Essay On Socrates On Happiness - 1594 Words

The pursuit of happiness is a timeless and ageless endeavor. Since the beginning of time people have searched far and wide for the source of happiness. Even the greatest minds attempt to discover the basis of all human contentment. The father of philosophy, Socrates, was one of those few that might have unearthed the key to human happiness. His understanding shaped the way that the western world sees pleasure, joy, and happiness. His views on how to obtain them are still alive today. Socrates lived in Athens, Greece for the entirety of his life (B.C. 469-399). His main objective in life was to teach people how to think critically about questions concerning truth, justice, and happiness. He believed that an unexamined life is a life not†¦show more content†¦He recommended gaining a rational control over one’s desires, these desires being those that can be harmful to life such as: lust, greed, pride, and power. He argued that the key to human happiness is to turn away f rom the body and towards the soul. He said that harmonizing the different parts of the soul would produce a divine-like state of inner tranquility that the external world could not alter. A moral life is to be preferred to an immoral life. This view of happiness is linked to other concepts such as justice, virtue, and the ultimate meaning of human existence. Living a moral and just life would lead to a happier life. In the Euthydemus (which was written by Plato in B.C. 384), Socrates presents an argument as to what happiness is. Socrates is concerned with establishing two main points: 1) Happiness is what all human beings/rational beings desire. It is always the end (goal) of our activities, it is an unconditional good. 2) Happiness does not solely depend on external things, but rather on how those particular things are used. For example, a wise human being will use their money in a way that will benefit them or make them happy. An ignorant person on the other hand will be wasteful and use their money poorly and thus ending up even worse than before. This example shows us that money, in and of itself, will not make us happy. But rather, money is a conditional good but only when it is in the hands of the wise person. This argument can be used inShow MoreRelatedEssay about Socrates Views on Virtue and Happiness1049 Words   |  5 Pagesphilosopher is Socrates. Born in Athens in 469 B.C.E, he spent most of his time at the marketplace and other public places engaging in dialogues about truths of life. Among many other things, he discussed virtue and happiness and how closely they are related. According to Socrates, virtue is absolutely necessary for perfect happiness because virtue brings a type of happiness that other things could never bring. In this paper, I will explain the aforementioned idea of Socrate s on virtue and happiness and throughRead MoreMy Understanding Of Philosophy And Philosophy1490 Words   |  6 Pagesunderstanding of what philosophy was, and knew little about Aristotle, Socrates, and other well-known philosophers. I also thought that Aesop’s Fables were true and loved to read them as a little girl, even though they did not make complete sense to me at the time. As I worked my way through PHIL 200, I began to broaden my knowledge of this area of life study, and to appreciate the different viewpoints on the presented topics. Throughout this essay, I will explain the difference between my â€Å"basic understanding†Read MoreSocrates s Argument At 30a B Of The Apology1386 Words   |  6 PagesEssay #1 In this paper I will argue that Socrates’s argument at 30a-b of the Apology that the best possible state of the soul is the most important thing in life means to eliminate false beliefs and to have virtue. Specifically, I will show why Socrates wants to eliminate false beliefs and why he insist on having virtue is important in life. Then I will demonstrate why Socrates’ argument is incorrect because he fails to identify the true catalyst that drives his happiness. I conclude Socrates’sRead MoreAnalysis Of Plato s Republic And The Letter Of The City Essay1328 Words   |  6 Pagesabout justice and if it something that is just in itself. This essay is meant to shine light on three of the key concepts – (1) He has succeeded in Thrasymachus’s challenge, (2) being just provides more happiness than being unjust, and (3) the letter of the city is irrelevant and does not help his case. Thrasymachus’s theory is that there is no benefit to being just and that benefit would only com to the powerful. However, Socrates puts down this theory by proving that it is in every human’s interestRead MoreJustice Is The Best Choice For Its Own Sake1307 Words   |  6 PagesPlato’s Republic, is a classic philosophical novel that covers many points and topics regarding philosophy. One of these main points includes justice. In this essay I will be answering the question of whether justice in soul is choice worthy for its own sake. While this topic is quite complex, I will use a mixture of personal analysis as well as evidence from the book itself to assert that justice in soul is the best choice for its own sake. In the following paragraphs I will discuss what justiceRead MoreSocial And Political Thought1722 Words   |  7 Pagesdevitalize our personal freedom, however, according to Socrates; regulation is necessary in order to experience â€Å"genuine freedo m†. In the Republic, Socrates discusses his tripartite regime in which promotes optimal justice and happiness for its citizens. However, if we fully accept Socrates’ republic, this does not necessarily mean we have to reject democracy entirely. This idea will be furthered explored throughout the entirety of this essay. While Socrates describes democracy as the â€Å"fairest† regime, heRead MoreSocrates, Plato, And Aristotle900 Words   |  4 Pagesdefined. There are many philosophers that have many different views and opinions on philosophy. In this essay, I will be talking about the three great philosophers: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle and how they help to define what exactly philosophy is. These three Greek philosophers represent the birthplace of Western philosophy and help to shed some light on the actual meaning of the term. Socrates is from about 400 B.C. His final destination was simple. He wanted to assist others so that they couldRead MoreThe Meaning of Life According to Socrates, Epicurus, and Me1794 Words   |  7 PagesLife According to Socrates, Epicurus, and I The Meaning of Life According to Socrates, Epicurus, and I The two philosophers I chose to examine for the purposes of this paper/exercise are Socrates and Epicurus. As stated, these men were exclusively philosophers, while they were also writers and theorists. I chose Socrates because he is a fundamental fixture in Western philosophy. He is respected and read by scholars and professionals all around the world for centuries. Socrates is one of the mostRead MorePlato And St. Augustine1090 Words   |  5 Pagesas a world of forms, ideas or concepts. Plato argued that conduct comes from a reference to this world of forms. By this argument, there is an eternal idea or form of each moral principle, such as justice, piety or truth. This essay will discuss the ethics of Plato, Socrates and St. Augustine According to Plato, evil is simply the result of ignorance. He believed that all people are attempting to do what they understand as good. He believes there are three parts of the soul. There is a rational andRead MoreSpeech Analysis : The Apology 858 Words   |  4 Pagesto the eye, this speech isn’t even an apology, and it’s more of defense speech. Socrates uses the speech to defend his accusations against him. In the story, â€Å"The Apology† Socrates is on trial for accusation like, â€Å"corrupting the youth† and â€Å"impiety.† Through this following essay, According the following: what Socrates means of knowledge or wisdom and why he thought that knowledge/wisdom was the best means of happiness and perfecting the soul, what kind of knowledge is the best, how did he react to