CHAPTER 6

THE GOOD LIFE

SHEILA DAFFON-SALDUA,RN,MN
 LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this chapter, the students should be able to:

EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF THE GOOD DEFINE THE GOOD LIFE IN THEIR
LIFE AS POSITED BY ARISTOTLE OWN WORDS.

EXAMINED SHARED CONCERNS THAT MAKE UP THE GOOD

LIFE TO COME UP WITH INNOVATIVE & CREATIVE SOLUTIONS
TO CONTEMPORARY ISSUES GUIDED BY ETHICAL STANDARDS
EVERYONE IS IN PURSUIT OF THE GOOD LIFE.WE DO
CERTAIN THINGS BECAUSE WE WANT TO ACHIEVE A LIFE
WHICH WILL MAKE US HAPPY AND CONTENT.

◦ BY STUDYING AND WORKING HARD, WE TRY TO

ATTAIN THIS GOAL NOT ONLY FOR OURSELVES
BUT ALSO FOR OUR LOVED ONES AND THE REST
OF HUMANITY
◦ PEOPLE’S DEFINITION OF THE GOOD LIFE MAY
VARY AND DIFFER IN PARTICULARS BUT IN
GENERAL,HOWEVER, WE RECOGNIZE UNIVERSAL
TRUTHS THAT CUT ACROSS OUR DIFFERENCES
NICOMACHEAN ETHICS & MODERN
CONCEPTS
ATTEMPTED TO
GREEK
◦ ARISTOTLE EXPLAIN WHAT THE
PHILOSOPHER GOOD IS

WORKS ON
NATURAL
PHILOSOPHY TO HIS DEFINITION MAY
LOGIC & BE USEFUL IN OUR
POLITICAL PURSIUT OF THE
THEORY TRUTH
NICOMACHEAN ETHICS
◦ ALL HUMAN ACTIVITIES AIM EVERYONE IS
AT SOME GOOD. EVERY ART MOVING TOWARDS
& HUMAN INQUIRY AND THE GOOD.
SIMILARLY EVERY ACTION & COMPLETING ONE’S
PURSUIT , IS THOUGHT TO STUDY, TRAINING
AIM AT SOME GOOD; AND FOR A SPORT, OR
FOR THIS REASON THE TAKING A REST IS A
GOOD HAS BEEN RIGHTLY
GOOD.
DECLARED AS THAT WHISH
ALL THINGS AIM.
◦ THE GOOD IS EXPRESSED AND MANIFESTED IN MANY VARIOUS
WAYS FOR DIFFERENT PERSONS & CIRCUMSTANCES. THE GOOD
LIFE, HOWEVER IS MORE THAN THESE COUNTLESS EXPRESSIONS
OF WHAT IS GOOD. IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY HAPPINESS THAT
SPRINGS FROM LIVING AND DOING WELL
◦ ….BOTH THE MANY AND THE CULTIVATED CALL IT
HAPPINESS, AND SUPPOSE THAT LIVING WELL AND DOING
WELL ARE THE SAME AS BEING HAPPY (NICOMACHEAN
ETHICS 1:4)
◦ THE ANCIENT GREEKS CALLED THIS CONCEPT OF “LIVING WELL”
AND “DOING WELL” AS EUDAIMONIA.
◦ EUDAIMONIA > CAME FROM THE GREEK WORD EU-MEANING
GOOD AND DAIMON- MEANING SPIRIT
◦ > TAKEN TOGETHER IT GENERALLY REFERS TO THE
GOOD LIFE WHICH IS MARKED BY HAPPINESS AND
EXCELLENCE
IT IS A FLOURISHING LIFE FILLED WITH MEANINGFUL
ENDEAVORS THAT EMPOWER THE HUMAN PERSON TO BE
THE BEST VERSION OF HIMSELF
◦ IF ONE IS A STUDENT,
THEN HE/SHE ACTS
TO BE THE BEST
VERSION OF A
STUDENT BY
STUDYING WELL AND
FULFILLING THE
DEMANDS OF
SCHOOL.
◦ IF ONE IS AN ATHLETE,
THEN HE /SHE STRIVES TO
BE THE BEST VERSION OF
AN ATHLETE BY TRAINING
HARD AS WELL AS JOINING
AND WINNING IN SPORTS
COMPETITION
 FINANCIAL STABILITY FOR ONE’S
ARISTOTLE FAMILY
THE POWER ACHIEVED FROM
◦ HAPPINESS IS THE WINNING THE ELECTIONS
HARMONY AND PEACE AS A
ULTIMATE END OF REWARD FOR TAKING CARE OF
HUMAN ACTION THE ENVIRONMENT
◦ IT IS THAT WHICH
PEOPLE PURSUE FOR
ITS OWN SAKE
ALL ARE PURSUED FOR THE
SAKE OF HAPPINESS
◦ DEFINES A GOOD LIFE ,
HOWEVER IT IS NOT THE
KIND THAT COMES FROM
SENSATE PLEASURE
◦ IT IS THAT WHICH COMES
FROM LIVING A LIFE OF
VIRTUE, A LIFE OF
EXCELLENCE, MANIFESTED
FROM THE PERSONAL TO
GLOBAL SCALE.
 EXAMPLES:
◦ 1.
MAKING SURE THAT ONE AVOIDS
SUGARY AND PROCESSED FOODS TO
KEEP HEALTHY IS AN ACTIVITY THAT
EXPRESSES VIRTUE
◦ THE RESULTING HEALTH ADDS TO THESE VIRTUOUS ACTIONS
ONE’S WELL-BEING AND HAPPINESS REQUIRE DISCIPLINE &
PRACTICE
◦ 2. TAKING CARE OF THE
ENVIRONMENT WHICH RESULTS IN A
CLEAN ENVIRONMENT AND ADDS TO
PEOPLE’S WELL-BEING AND
HAPPINESS
ON THE OTHER HAND, ACTIVITIES CONTRARY TO VIRTUE
ARE THOSE WHICH DO NOT RESULT IN HAPPINESS…

. THE LACK OF
◦ 1

DISCIPLINE IN EATING
HEALTHFUL FOOD
EVENTUALLY MAKES
ONE SICK
◦ 2. THE LACK OF
CONCERN FOR THE
ENVIRONMENT
DESTROYS THE EARTH
WE LIVE IN
 THE GOOD LIFE..
◦ IS MARKED BY HAPPINESS BROUGHT
ABOUT BY VIRTUOUS HUMAN
ACTIONS AND DECISIONS THAT
AFFECT THE INDIVIDUAL SELF AND
THE GREATER COMMUNITY
◦ CHARACTERIZED BY A LIFE OF
FLOURISHING OF ONESELF AND OF
OTHERS
◦ DOES NOT HAPPEN IN A BUBBLE
WHERE ONLY ONE PERSON IS
FLOURISHING, OTHERS HAVE TO BE
IN IT , TOO
 VIRTUE SUCH VIRTUE IS
CULTIVATED WITH HABIT
AND DISCIPLINE AT IT IS
◦ > PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE
NOT A ONE-TIME DEED.
IN THE LIVING AND
ATTAINMENT OF THE GOOD
LIFE
◦ > IT IS THE CONSTANT EVERYONE HAS THE
PRACTICE OF THE GOOD NO CAPACITY WITHIN
MATTER HOW DIFFICULT THE HIMSELF/HERSELF TO BE
CIRCUMSTANCES MAY BE
GOOD, BUT HE/SHE ALSO HAS
◦ > IS THE EXCELLENCE OF TO BE DISCIPLINED TO MAKE
CHARACTER THAT A HABIT OF EXERCISING THE
EMPOWERS ONE TO DO AND GOOD.
BE GOOD
 INTELLECTUAL MORAL
◦ OWES IT S BIRTH AND ◦ COMES ABOUT AS A
GROWTH TO TEACHING RESULT OF HABIT
(FOR WHICH REASON IT
REQUIRES EXPERIENCE
AND TIME)
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
◦ ONE OF THE HIGHEST
S & T MAY ALSO CORRUPT A
EXPRESSIONS OF HUMAN PERSON, BUT GROUNDING
FACULTIES ONESELF IN VIRTUE WILL
◦ ALLOW US TO THRIVE AND HELP HIM/HER STEER CLEAR
FLOURISH IN LIFE IF WE DESIRE OF DANGER
IT
◦ IT’S ONWARD PROGRESS IS ALSO
THE MOVEMENT TOWARDS THE
GOOD LIFE
 READING EXERCISE
◦ 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. The good life means that I make sure I improve without necessarily taking the others into consideration.
TRUE OR FALSE?
◦ ____________6. One does not need to eat healthfully to live the good life. TRUE OR FALSE?
◦ _____________7. Excellence of character is innate. It does not have to be practiced. TRUE OR FALSE?
◦ _____________8. It is the constant practice of the good.
◦ ______________9 and 10. Give Aristotle’s two kinds of virtue.
THANK YOU