What Is the Well-Lived Life - Term Paper Example

Module Module ID: Well-Lived Life It is a fact beyond suspicion that people belonging to divergent cultures, societies, races, ethnicities, religious faiths, regions and age-groups etc appear to be determined to lead a well-lived life in one way or the other; consequently, the entire world looks to be in consensus in their longing for obtaining the blessings of a well-lived life. However, the main issue is the exact and precise definition of a well-lived life in the light of the views elucidated by the theorists, and desired by the common people in order to elaborate the ways and acts for achieving and obtaining the same. The present paper aims to explore the basics of a well-lived life universally accepted by the philosophers, writers and theorists at large. The real happiness, and a quality life, according to the moralists, is leading a life while abiding by statutes of prevailing laws as well as principles of moral values, and helping others, instead of seeking pleasure by hurting and harming the fellow humans or others creatures in one way or the other. Before embarking upon the topic under examination, it would be advisable to elucidate the general opinion about a well-lived life in the eyes of the masses at large. It has aptly been observed that the individuals maintain variety of opinions while talking about a well-lived life. Some people declare plenty of money necessary for leading a well-lived life, while others regard fame and sound reputation as the sign of a successful life. Similarly, convalescence from some fatal disease is a peaceful life for a patient suffering from ailing, while a person deprived of love and affection submits winning he love of his/her choice as the source of peace of mind as well as the most essential element of a glowing life. However, eyes and sight for the blind, removal of disability for the disable, release from imprisonment for a prisoner, and acquittal from heavy loans for the bankrupt are symbol of a delightful and jubilant life respectively. Moreover, spending all moments with the soul-mate, having so many toys and candies, and a splendid career and family life are also the dream of a gorgeous life in the eyes of an imaginative young girl, little innocent children and a determined young adult respectively. Furthermore, obtaining bread on time is a source of joy for beggars and paupers, while setting free from the shackles of humiliation and slavery are the dreams of the nations leading the life of slavery and foreign exploitation at large. Consequently, everyone has unique treatment of a well-lived life, which cannot be confined to one single facility or joy only that life offers to humans. Some of the joys, bringing smiles and giggles to humans, are just temporary ones in nature, and are not long lasting ones in nature. For instance, ice-cream and beverages, drinks and dinners, long drives and dining out, sexual intercourse and pornography, sports and games, and smoking and drugs etc are the activities that offer apparently countless joys, and fill human heart with mirth; somehow, the joys start fading away as soon as the taste of the drinks and dinners, and liquors and drugs, and sexual gratification is fulfilled and quenched, and man looks for getting involved into some other activities in order to seek more satisfaction and pleasure ultimately. Hence, there appear some other things too, which bring unabated mirth to humans, and make their life to be well-lived one both in quantitative and qualitative point of view. Nevertheless, there exists an intellectual class, consists of philosophers, writers, theorists and moralists, which determine some specific ways to identify the fundamental traits of a well-lived life. One of the greatest moralists and philosophers of all times Socrates (469-399 BCE) has declared one’s submission to the great reality that he knows nothing as the source of satisfaction, happiness and pleasure (Thomas & Thomas 1971), as this notion protects man from falling into the hands of pride, one of the most fatal immoralities in general. Consequently, man seeking knowledge and wisdom not only produces happiness, and makes life to be well-lived one, by earning respect and honor for him, but is also turns out to be supportive in respect of obtaining wisdom from the natural, physical and social phenomena by negating oneself and one’s pride altogether. Since pride starts seducing man to be superior to all, and hence man begins keeping others away from him, he not only becomes lonely in a social establishment, but also it creates fuss and frustration in society subsequently. In addition, it also paves the way towards division of society in classes and groups, which not only creates state of alienation in its wake, but also the haves look for exploiting the haves-not, in the words of Marxist perspective, on the basis of power, pelf, possession and property the elite possess. As a result, conflict starts finding its way in society, by weakening its foundations eventually (Ritzer 2007). Thus, Socrates advocates the prevalence and dominance of morality and virtue for keeping a society integrated, happy and contented. The similar views have also been expressed by his successor philosophers including Plato and Aristotle. Illustrious philosopher and critic of ancient Greece Aristotle, in his Nicomachean Ethics has elaborated his famous Theory of Virtue where he submits to state that the source of all kinds of virtue and goodness is one and the same (Nicomachean Ethics, 1096a30), which concentrates upon the influence and impact of good and positive behaviour of the people and its association with their overall attitude while entering into interaction with others. By this he simply submits to state that every act and behavior is performed with the intention of seeking goodness in the end; consequently, all acts are executed in good intentions as well as in pursuit of happiness. Hence, every good act produces pleasure for the individual(s) performing the same. Since the nature of the products should be better than the activities (Ross 2005), the end of an act is considered to be superior to the intention and beginning of the same. Thus, it is virtue that brings happiness to life, and vice just turns life gloomy in the end, though apparently man feels himself happy on committing vice and performing something wrong and inflicting pains and sufferings upon others. Presented and taught by his great mentor Plato, Aristotle learnt the doctrine of virtue, which submits to state that Almighty God is the source of all benevolence, excellence and energy, from Whom all goodness arrives to enlighten the entire universe. Since foundations of universe are erected on virtue, it is therefore only goodness and virtue could pave the way towards happiness and pleasure ultimately (Ross 79). Thus, the Aristotelian proposition is based upon his famous doctrine of human soul, where he argues that since human body carries the soul, and hence all physical acts performed by the body reflect the inner of soul, the body must acquire the qualities attributed to the soul eventually in order to perform well for producing the good in its wake (Ross 43). Somehow, the soul, according to Rene Descartes, is far more pure and sublime than body in nature (Ariew 2011), and physical actions are unable to portray the purity of soul. The soul is confined in the body for some specific period of time in order to perform various acts through physical strength and appearance on the one hand and in order to exhibit the manifest proof of the existence of soul on the other (Ariew 31). Consequently, a virtuous soul generates happiness by commanding the body to incline to good acts, and refrain from vice for the sake of obtaining pleasure, and lead a well-lived life eventually. Human soul, being kind and sublime in nature, strictly lays stress upon the observing of compassion, benevolence, meekness, humility, truthfulness, equality and justice while interacting with other members of society; the same is also expected from the others for the pursuit of happiness and pleasure. Virtue is, according to Aristotle, a disposition, rather than an activity, which forces a good-nature person to perform virtuous deed, and seek pleasure out of it with the belief that he has performed a good deed, which creates tremendous feelings of joys to him. Similarly, consequentialist school of thought regards an act could be regarded as beneficial or harmful on the basis of its impact on others. The notion seeks its roots in ancient Greek philosophical thoughts articulated by Plato (Ritzer 2007), which not only was found in the Confucian and Avicenna’s teachings, but also got popularity among the European moralist theorists for the future years to come. The theory simply means that if an act is performed with good intention in view, it would be beneficial for others in the long run, though it creates some problems for others for the time being. In other words, conquest of happiness is completely dependent of the intention of the doer of an act actually. Thus, it clearly lays stress upon goodness and morality for obtaining happiness; the same has also been elaborated by Aristotle. Aristotle is of the view that since it is the body that contains and in other words encages the soul, it must possess the qualities attributed to the soul for demonstrating goodness and seeking happiness, and leading a well-lived life. Thus, getting indulged into immoral acts and harming others only causes disturbance, as per the law of Nature, though the individuals hurting and harming others experience temporary pleasure, but it is sure to produce destruction and ruination for others, and the executor of the same as well. Similarly, famous 19th century British thinker J. S. Mill (2008) has articulated his famous doctrine of utilitarianism, where he affiliates happiness with the principle of utility. The principle submits to state that all human actions appear to be in right proportion provided they tend to produce and project happiness out of them. On the other hand, if they tend to create gloominess and harm, which is contrary to happiness, they are wrong ones in nature and scope, and thus not acceptable for the collective interest of a social establishment. Hence, by happiness, it simply appears the concept of an intended pleasure, and absence of pain eventually; and by unhappiness, pain as well as the privation of pleasure (Mill 4-5). Moreover, Mill strongly lays stress upon the very notion that the acts attributed to every human must generate maximum pleasures for others out of them, and thus should escape harms and hurdles altogether for the sake of a well-lived life. Consequently, he looks determined for the qualitative separation of happiness and considers moral and intellectual pleasure superior to physical pleasures (35-36). Hence, no act, whether On the other hand, deontologist school of thought, concentrates upon the performing of act provided it appears to be following the rules and principles have been in prevalence in some specific society. Violation of law, according to deontologists, comes under the definition of crime, and sin in the eyes of morality, which is sure to produce disturbance in society. A well-lived life is reflection of unconditional observance of social and oral laws, without which a life could not be claimed to be of a high quality one. Mill, while elaborating inferior and superior forms of pleasure, regards contentment to be the inferior form, while happiness as a superior form in nature, where the former confines pleasure to one’s self, while the latter seeks the benefit of other individuals too for the sake of collective joys at large. The collective or wide-scale happiness, according to Mill, could be attained by the strict observance of moral values have been in vogue in the society. As a result, the greatest happiness principle has had a large share in forming the moral doctrines even of those who even more scornfully reject its authority (22). Since abiding of law and morality distinguishes man with the beasts, the sources of pleasure should not be the same for humans and animals, according to Mill (53). Hence, both Nicomachean Virtue and Utilitarianism appear to be making strong arguments in favor of observing unflinching morality for the sake of ultimate and long lasting happiness, and leading a well-lived life as well. In other words the societies undergoing moral decline are unable to observe happiness, while the cultures imitating the moral and state laws look happier and more jubilant ones in their social, professional, domestic and personal life at large. Distinguished 20th century philosopher Sir Bertrand Russell in his A Freeman’s Worship (1929), lays stress upon being kind and moral without having fear of any power, which would take revenge from the humans on committing wrong and observing immorality. He is of the opinion that no act is moral altogether provided it has been performed out of sheer feelings of fear and horror of some supernatural and metaphysical powers. Hence, goodness of heart and soul makes man happy, instead of witnessing morality and abiding of law under the pressure and fear of receiving punishment in case of violating the same. Similarly, 19th century Russian philosopher Fyodor Dostoyevsky in his book Rebellion refutes to submit to God for trying the humanity by inflicting pains upon them. Hence, he has associated happiness with the removal of sufferings. In addition, he does not agree with the Christian notion that man experiences sufferings because of their first parents’ tasting the fruit of the forbidden tree. Since that sin has not caused any harm altogether, associating that act with the expulsion of Adam and Eve would not work due to very reality that man’s abode on the earth was a decided fact actually (Book V: Pro and Contra, Chapters 1–4). On the other hand, it is the forces of evil that cause difficulties and problems for humans. To conclude, it becomes crystal clear that adopting and observing of statutes of state laws, social values and moral principles play most dominant role in respect of making of a peaceful and happy life at individual and collective scale. However, observing goodness and kindness should not be performed under the pressure of metaphysical powers. Hence, moral values should be practiced unconditionally and without any fear of penalties, punishments and disapprovals from society. Hence, it is actually unflinching and unabated witnessing of social norms and moral values, which bring integrity and coherence in society, and thus paves the towards the establishment of a well-lived and valued life eventually. Works Cited Ariew, Roger. “Modern Philosophy” Second Edition 2011 Print ISBN: 9780872209787 Devlin, Lord Patrick. “The Enforcement of Morals” Oxford University Press 1965 Print Mill, John Stuart “Utilitarianism” Harvard University 2008 Print Ritzer, George. “Modern Sociological Theory” 3rd Edition McGraw-Hill Higher Education 2007 Print Ross, W.D. Aristotle “Nicomachean Ethics” Kevin Neeland 2005 Print Russell, Sir Bertrand “A Freeman’s Worship” 1929 Retrieved from http://users.drew.edu/~jlenz/br-fmw.html Accessed on 12-08-2012 Thomas, Henry & Thomas, Dana Lee “Great Philosophers” Bhavan’s Book University Bombay 1971 Print Read More