The Good life

OWNER: ELAINE B. ESPEJON

The Good
Life
Objectives:
1. Explain the concept of the good life as proposed by
Aristotle.
2. Define the good life in their own words.
3. Examine shared concerns that make up the good life to
come up with innovative and creative solutions to
contemporary issues guided by ethical standards.
Introduction
Everyone is in pursuit of the good life.
A good life – is a life which makes us happy and contented. But its
meaning differs from person to person.
For you, how do you define a good life?
What are some examples of things you may do in order to achieve a good
life?
- By working hard - by reading books -by saving money
- By studying well - by eating healthy foods - by having enough
sleep
- By joining sports and other co-curriculars - by exercising often
The Good Life
Why are you trying to achieve a
good life? To whom is it for?
-family -friends -loved ones
-God -pets -ourselves
Nicomachean Ethics and
Modern Concepts
Aristotle, a Greek Philosopher whose works
spans from natural philosophy to logic and
political theory, attempted to explain what a
good life is through his book Nicomachean
Ethics.

Nicomachean Ethics is a book which tackles

philosophical inquiry into the nature of the good
life for a human being.
 Nicomachean Ethics and
Modern Concepts
“All human activities aim at some good. Every art and human inquiry, and
similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good; and for this
reason the good has been rightly declared as that at which all things aim.
(Nicomachean Ethics 2:2)”

“…both the many and the cultivated call it happiness, and suppose that living well
and doing well are the same as being happy.”

Living well and doing well = Eudaimonia (Greek) >Eu = good; daimon = spirit
 Other definition of the Good Life
• It is a flourishing life filled with meaningful endeavors that empower the human
person to be the best version of himself/herself.
• Happiness also defines the Good Life.
• The good life is also concerned with other people’s well-being.
• What is Happiness for you?
• To some it is the ultimate end of human action:
Examples:
1. Financial stability for one’s family
2. The power achieved for winning the elections
3. Harmony and Peace from taking care of the environment.
Happiness
X from sensate pleasures
/ living a life of Virtue and of excellence from personal to global scale.

Virtue
- Is the constant practice of the good no matter how difficult the circumstances
may be.
- Excellence of character that empowers one to do and be good.
- Cultivated with habit and discipline, a constant, and consistent series of actions.
Virtue
• Everyone has the capacity to do good but he/she must be
disciplined to make a habit of exercising the good
Two kinds of virtue:
a. Intellectual virtue – acquired character traits from birth
and from being taught.
b. Moral – a result of habit.
Summary
• The onward progress of Science and Technology is also the
movement towards the good life.
• Science and Technology are one of the highest expression of the
power of our mind and body (human faculties)
• They allow us to thrive and flourish in life if we so desire it.
• Science and technology may also corrupt a person, but grounding
oneself in virtue will help him/her steer clear of danger.
Answer the following items:
1. It is that which all things aim. _________
2. It is an ancient Greek word which means living and doing well. ___________
3. It is said to be the ultimate end of human action. It is pursued for its own sake.
____________.
4. He is the ancient Greek Philosopher known for Nicomachean Ethics.
__________.
5. It is the constant practice of the good. _____________
Answer the following items:
6. The Good Life means that I make sure I improve without necessarily
taking others into consideration. True or False? __________
7. One does not need to eat healthfully to live the good life. True or False?
________
8. Excellence of character is innate. It does not have to be practiced. True or
False? ___________.
9-10. Give Aristotle’s two kinds of virtue.