Imagine you had to choose between two lives. - In the first, you are extremely happy, comfortable, successful, and satisfied—but you are not an especially admirable person. - In the second, you are courageous, generous, honest, and principled—but your life involves more struggle, sacrifice, and unhappiness. Which life is better? Philosophers have disagreed about questions like this for more than 2,000 years. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Aristotle — Being good and being happy are not really separate Aristotle thinks the highest human good is eudaimonia, usually translated as happiness or flourishing. But he does not mean simply “feeling good.” A flourishing life involves actually living and acting virtuously over the course of a whole life. Courage, justice, friendship, practical wisdom, and good activity are part of what happiness is. He also admits that some external goods—friends, resources, decent circumstances—matter. Read: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I (Focus especially on Book I, chapters 4–7). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Epicurus — Happiness is the goal, but pleasure does not mean endless indulgence. Epicurus says pleasure is the end of life, but famously clarifies that he does not mean constant partying, luxury, or sensual gratification. The happiest life is marked by freedom from bodily pain and mental disturbance, along with prudence, moderation, friendship, and freedom from unnecessary desires. Read: Epicurus, Letter to Menoeceus ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------