Prepared by: Ethel A.

Nombre, LPT
Instructor I
 At the end of the lesson, the students should be able
to:
a. define the idea of the good life;
b. discuss Aristotle’s concept of eudaimonia and arête;
and
c. examine contemporary issues and come up with
innovative and creative solutions to contemporary
issues guided by ethical standards leading to a good
life.
The Good Life
 The Good Life

Are we living the

good life?
What standard could be used to define “the
good life?”
 The Good Life

What standard could be used to define “the

good life?”

Aristotle’s
Nichomachean
Ethics

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

 The Good Life

Aristotle (384 – 322 BCE)

 What is the universe made of?
 Why do accidents happen?
 How do animals grow?
 In all his investigations, Aristotle pioneered a new
way of studying. He looked for clues in what he
saw and for proof.
 He didn’t use guesswork or accept whatever
people already believed. His method of
questioning changed the way scholars worked for
many centuries.

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

 The Good Life

Aristotl
e
 He was a of Plato, who was then a
student
student of Socrates.
 “Big Three of Greek Philosophy”
 Socrates
 Plato
 Aristotle
 Alexander the Great

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

 The Good Life

Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics

 Based on notes from his lectures in the Lyceum.
 It is widely believed that the lecture notes were compiled
by or were dedicated to one of Aristotle’s sons,
Nichomacus.
 It consists of ten books.
 http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.html
 The NE is particularly useful in defining what the good life
is.

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

 The Good Life

Aristotle’s Nichomachean
Ethics
 Aristotle posited two types of good.
1.Instrumental Good: something considered as a means to
some other good; i.e., an instrumental good leads to
something else that is good.

Education --> wealth --> success --> happiness

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

 The Good Life

Aristotle’s Nichomachean
Ethics
 Aristotle posited two types of good.
2. Intrinsic Good : something worthwhile not because it
leads to something else, but for its own sake alone; i.e.,
Good-in-itself.
 You can find out what an intrinsic good is for you by
asking a series of "why" questions until a nonsense
answer is reached.

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

 The Good Life

Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics

 Why did you come to class today? Answer: Coming to class will
help me pass the course.
 Why do you want to pass the course? Answer: I want
to graduate.
 Why do you want to graduate? Answer: So that I can have an
opportunity to work at something I enjoy and make a living.
 Why do you want to do that? Answer: So that I can be happy?
 Why do you want to be happy? Answer: That question makes
no sense.

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 The Good Life

Ultimate Good

Instrumental Good Ultimate Good

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 The Good Life

What then is the

ultimate good?

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 The Good Life

1. Pleasure (Kasiyahan)
Foo Travel
d
 It is transitory.
 It does
encompasses
all aspects of
life.

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 The Good Life

2. Wealth (Kayamanan)
Financially Stable Rich

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 The Good Life

2. Wealth (Kayamanan)

Rich Unhappy

Wealth is just an intermediate good – that

is, only instrumental.

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 The Good Life

3. Fame and Honor (Kasikatan)

 Many people today

seem to be motivated
by a desire to be
known – to be famous.
 Benefits

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 The Good Life

3. Fame and Honor (Kasikatan)

 They are based on the

perception of others.

 The definition of
good life becomes
elusive.

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 The Good Life

What then is the

ultimate good?

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 The Good Life

The Ultimate Good Happiness

“Living well and doing well”

“Eu” = good
Eudaimonia “Daimon” = spirit

Happiness or
virtue welfare
excellence
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 The Good Life

Eudaimonia: Uniquely Human?

Aristotle’s Tripartite Soul

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 The Good Life
• is what defines a good life
• To live a good life is to

Eudaimonia live a happy life.

• Only possible by living a life of virtue Arête

• Usually translated as “virtue”
• “any other kind of excellence”
• A person, an animal, or a
Intellectual Moral thing exhibits arête when it
Virtue is performing its function
properly.
Virtu
• We become good by fulfilling
e our function.

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Habitual disposition to do good
Intellectual Virtue
• “virtue of thought”
• It is achieved through
education, time, and
experience.
• Wisdom ---> ethical behavior
• Understanding ---> gained from
scientific endeavors and
contemplation
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The Good Life
Virtu To think and to act correctly, to follow
what is right, and to avoid what is
e evil
Moral Virtue ---> skill
• “virtue of character”
• It is achieved through habitual
practice.
Examples
• It is by repeatedly being unselfish that one
Formal and
develops the virtue of generosity.
non-
formal • It is by repeatedly resisting and foregoing
means every inviting opportunity that one
develops the virtue of temperance.
• It is by repeatedly exhibiting the proper
action and emotional response in the face
of danger that one develops the virtue of
courage.
 The Good Life

If one learns that eating too much

fatty foods is bad for the health, he
or she has to make it a habit to stay
away from this type of food
because health contributes to living
well and doing well.

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

 The Good Life

If one believes that too

much use of social media
is detrimental to human
relationships and
productivity, he or she
must regulate his or her
use of social media and
deliberately spend more
time with friends and
family, and work than in
virtual platform.

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 The Good Life

Intellectual Virtue and Moral

Virtue

Eudaimonia

REASON

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 The Good Life

A virtue is ruined by an excess or

deficiency in how one lives and acts.

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 The Good Life

What then is the good life?

Eudaimonia

The state of being happy, healthy, and

prosperous in the way one thinks, lives, and acts.

Intellectual Virtue Moral Virtue

Happiness is brought about by living a virtuous life.

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

 The Good Life

Other Theories about the Good Life

Hedonistic Theory

“good” is presence of pleasure and absence of pain

Preference Theory

“good” is what one wants most for himself or herself

Objective List Theory

“good” consists of valuable experiences and some elements that are

independent of personal preferences
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 The Good Life

• According to Susan Wolf (2011)- One’s life can become

meaningful when he or she is committed, passionate, and
involved in activities of worth. (Activity may not always
bring pleasantness and enjoyment)
• According to Antonia Macaro (2018)- good life has
criteria:
• Success and material comfort
• Pleasure
• Relationships
• Reason and Virtues
• Character and spirituality
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 The Good Life

• According to Antonia Macaro (2018)- good life has

criteria:
• Success and material comfort (5Ps are the components
of happy and successful life)
• power, prestige, pleasure, position, prosperity
• means to an end and not the final good
• depends on the validation of society

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

 The Good Life

• According to Antonia Macaro (2018)- good life has

criteria:
• Pleasure
• pleasure does not automatically translate to
good life
• desire for pleasure is a form of HEDONISM (view
in which pleasure is the highest goal)
• not long term, self-focused
• there must be balance between pleasure and
virtue

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

 The Good Life

• According to Antonia Macaro (2018)- good life has

criteria:
• Relationships
• mutual admiration
• healthy relationships
• meaningful and pleasant relationships
• not the ultimate good but just a contributing
factor

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

 The Good Life

• According to Antonia Macaro (2018)- good life has

criteria:
• Reason and virtues
• capacity to make decisions in the sphere of ehat
can be changed
• learning to act according to reason
• not the ultimate good but just a way of
flourishing

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 The Good Life

• According to Antonia Macaro (2018)- good life has

criteria:
• Character and spirituality
• Dr. Jenson (1995)- an individual’s character is
the root of his or her inner strength
• King Solomon (led the Israel) –wrote the book of
Ecclesiastes where it is stated that the fear of
God and keeping His commandments are
fundamental duties of man
• requires cultivation of character and spirituality
can be the ultimate good.
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Proverbs 16:20
 The Good Life

How about you, what’s your

definition of “The Good Life”? I
would like to know how you
perceive the good life. Write an
essay about it.

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)