Chapter 2-B

The Good Life

Some people look at some

other’s people’s lives and
compare them with their
own, finding holes they
cannot hope to fill because
every life is different
One of the main themes of
good life- being connected
and contributed in a
meaningful way to the
communities you value
Good life- series of never-
ending satisfaction that only
grows more powerful as
times goes on
Good life- based on
compassionate deeds you
Perform, personal goals you
thrive to achieve and legacy
you decide to leave behind as
a result of the mark you have
made on the world around
you
 What is Good Life?

Socrates- the unexamined

life is not worth living
Means an individual become
a master of himself, using
his reason to reign in his
passion, as well as doing
What he can to help promote
the stability of his community
Values- one of the drivers
to reach good life
 10 Golden Rules by Michael
Soupios and Panos
Mourdoukouyas
1. Examine life, engage life
with vengeance, always
search for new pleasure
and new destinies to
reach with your mind-
Living life- examining life
Through reason, nature’s
greatest gift to humanity
Examining life- evident In
all phases of life- from
infant to grandparents
Reason- lets human beings
participate in life
To be human- to think,
appraise and explore the
world
2. Worry only about the
things that are in your
control, the things that can
be influenced and changed by
your actions, not about the
things that are beyond your
capacity to direct or alter-
The key to resisting the
hardship and discord that
intrude human life is to
Cultivate a certain attitude
toward adversity based on
critical distinction between
things in control and those
beyond capacity to manage
People- cannot control all
outcomes they seek in life,
they can control the
responses to these outcomes
which lies to their potential
for a life
That is both happy and
fulfilled
3. Treasure friendship.
Friendship cannot acquire in
the marketplace but must be
nurtured and treasured in
relations imbued with trust
and amity-
Deeply engrained social
instinct- need for association
and affiliation
With others, a need for
friendship
Formation of society-
reflection of profound need
for human affiliation rather
than simply a contractual
arrangement between
otherwise detached
individuals
Friendship- one cannot
Speak of completed human
identity or true happiness
No amount of wealth,
status or power can
adequately compensate for
a life devoid of genuine
friends
4. Experience true pleasure.
Avoid shallow and transient
pleasure. Keep your life
simple. Seek calming
pleasure that contribute to
peace of mind. True pleasure
is disciplined and restrained.
Pleasure- what every
human being is after, the
chief good of life
Kinetic pleasure-shallow
and transient, fading way as
soon as act creates pleasure
end
Catastematic pleasure-
deep and prolonged and
continue even after the act
creates them, secure the
well-live life
5. Master yourself. Resist any
external force that might
delimit thought and action,
stop deceiving yourself,
believing only what is
personally useful and
convenient
Personal freedom- highly
desirable state and one of
life’s great blessing
Freedom- associated with
political liberty, reward for
political struggle, measured
in one’s ability to exercise
individual rights
6. Avoid excess. Live life in
harmony and balance. Even
good things pursued or
attained without moderation
can be source of misery and
suffering
Moderation- nothing less
than a solution of life’s
riddle
Avoid excess- prime
Ingredient in a life properly
live
7. Be a responsible human
being. Approach yourself with
honesty and thoroughness,
maintain spiritual hygiene,
stop blame shifting for your
errors and shortcomings-
Be honest with yourself
Be prepared to assume
responsibility and accept
consequences
Pythagoras- we had the
human tendency to reject
responsibility for
wrongdoing
Very few individuals are
willing to hold themselves
accountable for the errors
and mishap that occur in
life
8. Don’t be a prosperous fool.
Prosperity by itself is not a
cure-all against an ill-led life
and a source of dangerous
foolishness. Money is a
necessary but not sufficient
condition for good life,
happiness, wisdom-
Prosperity- accumulation of
wealth in form of money,
Real estate and equity
Prosperity- accumulation of
power and achievement of
status
Prosperity- requires
wisdom: the rational use of
one’s resources
9. Don’t do evil to others.
Evil doing is dangerous habit,
too quickly resorted and
easily justified that has a
lasting and damaging effect
in good life. Harming others
has 2 victims- the receiver of
the harm and the victimizer,
the one who does harm-
Modern society-
competitive, hard-bitten
Environment strongly inclined
to advocate self-advantage at
the expense of other
It is not surprising people
are often prepared to harm
their fellow human beings
10. Kindness toward other tend
to be rewarded. Kindness to
others is a good habit that
supports and reinforce quest for
good life. Helping others bestow
sense of satisfaction and has 2
beneficiary- the receiver of the
help and the benefactor- the
one who provides help-
Deeds- advocate as
investment toward future
Salvation- admission ticket to
paradise
Aristotle’s Nicomachean
Ethics- one of the most
important treatises on ethics
Virtue- essential to happiness
Man- must live in doctrine of
the mean (balance between
excess and
Deficiency) to achieve
happiness
Mean- right to choose,
avoid excess
Virtues of the Soul- divided
into 2 groups:
1. Virtue of the Character
2. Virtue of the Intellect
2 parts of soul

1. rational
2. Irrational
Rational :2 rational
faculties
1. We contemplate things,
principles are invariable
2. We contemplate things
which admit variation
These 2 rational faculties
maybe designated the
Scientific Faculty and
Calculative Faculty
Calculation- same as
deliberation and
deliberation is never
exercised about things that
are invariable
Calculative Faculty-
separate part of rational
half of the soul
3 elements of the soul
1. Sensation
2. Intellect
3. Desire
Sensation- never originates
action, animals have
sensation but not capable
of action
Pursuit and avoidance- in
Desire is the affirmation and
denial in intellect
Moral virtue- disposition of
the mind with regard to
choice
Choice- deliberate desire, if
choice is good, principle is
true and desire is right
Attainment of truth-
function of every part of
Intellect
Practical intelligence-
attainment of truth
corresponding to right
desire
Cause of action- choice
Cause of choice- desire
Reasoning- directed to end
Choice- involves both
intellect or thought and
Disposition of character for
doing well
Act of making- not an end in
itself, only a means and
belong to something else
Call- called either thought
related to desire or desire
related to thought
Man- originator of action is a
union of desire and intellect
Attainment of truth-
function of both
intellectual parts of the
soul, their virtues are
dispositions that will best
qualify them to attain truth
5 qualities which mind
achieves truth in denial
1. Art or technical skill
2. Scientific Knowledge
3. Prudence
4. Wisdom
5. Intelligence
Nature of Scientific
Knowledge- a thing we
know scientifically cannot
vary, when a thing that can
vary is beyond the range of
our observation, we do not
know whether it
Exist or not
Object of Scientific
Knowledge- exist necessity,
it is eternal for everything
existing of absolute
necessity is eternal, what is
eternal does not come to
existence or perish
Scientific knowledge-
communicated by teaching,
What is scientifically known
must be learned
Teaching- starts from facts
previously known
Art- deals with bringing
something into existence
To pursue an art- to study
how to bring into existence a
thing that may either exist or
not and the efficient cause of
which
Lies in the maker and not in
the things made
Prudence- not same as art
or science
Doing and making are
different
Making aims- distinct from
act of making
Doing the end- the act itself
Prudence- truth-attaining
rational quality concerned
with action in relation to
the things that are good for
human beings
We can speak of excellence
in Art not of excellence in
Prudence
Prudence- an excellence or
virtue, not an Art
Wisdom- combination of
intuition and scientific
knowledge with deep
understanding of natural
world
Sophia- Greek word for
wisdom means lover of
wisdom
Wisdom- highest of all
intellectual virtue involving
Understanding of eternal
truths of the universe
Man- considerate,
understanding and
intelligent by nature though
no one is a wise man by
nature
Virtue- choosing a mean
between vicious extreme
according to right principle
Aristotle- distinguish
contemplative from
calculative reasoning
Contemplative reasoning-
deals with eternal truths,
these are truths unrelated
to human action; use of
intellectual virtues of
scientific knowledge,
intuition and wisdom
Soul- divided to rational
part and irrational part
Rational part- divided to
contemplative and
calculative part
Contemplative part- study
invariable truths of science
and mathematics
Calculative part- practical
matters of human life
Truth- right reasoning with
respect to contemplative
intellect
Right reasoning- practical
intellect with proper
deliberation that leads to
right choice
Resourcefulness or good
deliberation- not scientific
knowledge, opinion but a
Process that helps achieve
the end by prudence
Understanding- form of
judgement regarding
practical matters that
determine what is equitable
Judgement, understanding,
prudence and intuition are
natural gifts that help us
determine right course of
Action
Intellectual virtue- help us
know what is just and
admirable
Moral virtue- help us to do
just and admirable deeds
What value the intellectual
virtue?
1. Leads to happiness
2. Help to determine the
Best means to ends which
moral virtue teach us to aim
Prudence and art- practical
virtues
Wisdom-highest intellectual
virtue as it combines
scientific knowledge and
intuition
Eudoxus- member of Plato’s
Academy argue that pleasure-
is the supreme
Good because we desire it as
an end in itself
Pleasure- not a process but
the activity of our senses or
mind when they are
working at their best; it
perfects our activities
Life- is an activity so
pleasure is essential to life
Happiness- end in self, our
Highest goal in life
Contemplation- highest form
of happiness (pagmumuni-
muni)
State- responsible for
establishing laws to ensure
that young is educated in the
right way that adults do not
become bad
In the absence of good laws,
People must take
responsibility for children and
friends
Words- cannot convince
people to be good, it
requires practice and
habituation
 What is Human Existence?

Why are we here?

What is life all about?
What is the purpose of
existence?
Search for life’s meaning-
produce philosophical,
Scientific, theological and
metaphysical speculation
Meaning of life- derive from
philosophical and religious
contemplation and scientific
inquiries about existence,
social ties, consciousness
and happiness
Scientific contributions-
focus on describing related
Empirical facts about
universe, exploring context
and parameters concerning
the how of life
Humanistic approach- What
is the meaning of my life?
Plato- pupil of Socrates in
His Theory of Forms propose
that universals do not
physically exist like objects
but as heavenly forms
Dialogue of Republic- theory
on justice in the soul related
the idea of happiness
relevant to meaning of life
Platonism- meaning of life is
attaining the highest form of
knowledge which is the Idea
(form) of the Good from
which all good and just
derive utility and value
Aristotle- most significant
thinker and most
accomplished individual
who ever lived
His philosophy of reason-
knowledge of the world
commence by looking and
examining what exist
Men- can increase
knowledge by augmenting
The evidence of senses
through reason
Conceptualization-
preceded by inductive
observation in our efforts to
understand the world
Reason-m competent to
know reality
Aristotle- each man’s life
has a purpose and the
Function of one’s life is to
attain that purpose
Purpose of life- earthly
happiness or flourishing
that can be achieved via
reason and acquisition of
virtue
Human being- should use his
ability to fullest potential
and obtain happiness and
Enjoyment through exercise
of realize capacities
Human achievements-
animated by purpose and
autonomy that people
should take pride in being
excellent at what they do
Human beings- to Aristotle
they have natural desire
and capacity to know and
Understand the truth, to
pursue moral excellence and
instantiate their ideas
through action
 What is Public Good?

Product that one individual

can consume without
reducing its availability to
another individual
Considered as nonrivalrous
and nonexcludable
Nonrivalry- any product or
services that does not
reduce in availability as
people consume
Nonexcludability- product
or service that is impossible
to provide without being
available for many people
to enjoy
Public good- must be
available for everyone and
Not be limited in quantity
Dam-example of public
good
Public good- can be
excludable and private good
can be noinexcludable
Excludable public good- has
a normal cost that creates
low barrier to consuming
the good
Post office- excludable
public good for even the
service is provided for
public there are low cost
like stamp expenses that
prevent people who have
not paid from using it
Private goods- like AM radio
show are nonexcludable
since anyone with a radio
can consume it
Quasi-public good- goods
and services having
nonrivalrous and
nonexcludable but are not
public goods
Roads- example of quasi-
public goods. All
infrastructure is built for
benefit of public but as
public uses more the
infrastructure, it causes
Traffic and congestion lowering
the value of good
Rolando Gripaldo- Filipino
philosopher argue that public
good carries largely the
politico-ethical sense
Public good- public when the
beneficiaries are general
public
Government or state- pursue
it with service
Orientation while private
corporation pursue it with
profit orientation
Mixed public goods- pursue
by private organization with
service motivation
Government corporations-
motivated by service and
having profit is precluded
Public good- benefited by
Communal or national public or
the greatest number of local or
national population
2 levels of public good

1. Comes from people

themselves- perceive public
good to be beneficial to
most if not to all of them
Ethical standard- the public-
through civil society
Unify themselves for individual
and social benefits
Unless they work together-
for common welfare, the
public good may not
materialize
2 significant aspect of national
public goods
1. Unity
2. Subsidiarity- working
together for common
Good
2. Comes from local or
national government-
believes that with utilitarian
perspective particular
project is desired by
populace as necessary for
common welfare
Human flourishing- known
as personal flourishing or an
Effort to achieve self-
actualization and fulfillment
with context of large
community of individuals
with the right to pursue his
own efforts
It involves rational use of
individuals human
potentialities like talents,
abilities and virtues to
Pursuit freely and rationally
chosen values and goals
Action- consider as proper
if it leads to flourishing
person performing the
action
Human flourishing- moral
accomplishment and
fulfillment of human
capacities
Self-actualization- moral
growth and vice versa
The goal of person’s life- to
live rationally and develop
both intellectual and moral
virtues
Ethical theory- connected
to type of life that is most
desirable or most worse
living for each human being
Human flourishing- occur
when person is doing what
he ought to do and doing
what he wants to do
Real and highly personal by
nature with fulfillment of
man’s human nature,
unique potentialities and
concerned with choices and
actions
To flourish- man must
pursue goals that is rational
to him as an individual and
as a human being
Living rationally- dealing
with the world conceptually
Living consciously- respect
for facts of reality; not
affected by intelligence or
knowledge but acceptance
Of one’s reason in recognition
and perception of reality and
choice of values and actions
to the best of his ability
to pursue rational goals-
only way to cope
successfully with reality and
achieve one’s goals
Virtue- are the means to
values which enable us to
Achieve human flourishing
and happiness
Concern of moral living-
choosing and making proper
response for unique
situation; using practical
reason at the time of action
to consider circumstances
and determine correct
application and balance of
Virtue and values
Human flourishing- reward
of virtues and values
Happiness- goal and reward
of human flourishing
Self-direction- use of one’s
reason for attaining human
flourishing
Proper role of government-
to protect man’s natural
Rights by the use of force but
only in response and only
those against to use it