week 3 discussion board replies

Please respond to the two-discussion provided. Please include your references and proper citations. Your response post should be 350-400 words minimum.

RODERICK DAVIS

WEEK 3 DISCUSSION

My first question is:

What were some of Aristotle’s views on virtue and happiness?

My answer to this question is:

In this guide on moral living, Aristotle suggests different guidelines of ethics. He seeks the highest good and says that all men really want to be pleased. He suggests that every action is focused on a specific objective and finds that there are goals that are more important than others. He argues that happiness does not just happen at once, but it is objective. He claims that happiness could be difficult for one to find out while living and people may be under the impression that they are happy when they are not. His view of happiness is through virtue, which he describes as a disposition. I believe Aristotle’s views go against Christianity. Aristotle believed that it was acceptable to indulge in a lot of things that Christians would oppose of. He believed in living freely, as long as we did not do too much.

In book 2, we learn that there are two different types of virtue, which are intellectual and moral. For moral responsibility, he says that we are responsible for anything that we do that is voluntary. Intellectual virtues are taught and moral virtues are learned by repetition. I do agree with his views of virtue and happiness, but at the same time I feel like it is possible to measure happiness in other ways as well. Also, Aristotle views happiness as an activity. He argues that we cannot choose our virtues and he does not feel like it cannot be taught, but is learned by practice at an early age.

Aristotle lists values such as temperance, courage and patience to elaborate on his views of ethics. Temperance is explained to be holding back and not being easily persuaded by the different senses. He suggests that courage is being self-assured regardless of the situation which may place you in harm’s way and patience is said to be the suitable disposition towards anger. He also emphasizes on making friends and being social. He believed that the way we view our friendships should be a reflection of how we view ourselves on a daily basis, but self-love is priority.

 

Aristotle, The Nichomachean Ethics of Aristotle, trans. F.H. Peters, M.A. 5th edition (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Truebner & Co., 1893).

Courtney Malloy 

Week 3 Discussion 2 

COLLAPSE

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My second question is: When measuring happiness should we focus on quantity or quality?

My answer to this question is: Any time there is conversation on the measure of something it is a question of whether should be determined by the quality or quantity of the matter. When measuring happiness should we measure by the amount of happy moments we have in our lifetime or by the depth of the events? In relating this concept to my own life, I think of the moments make me the happiest and many times these are moment I have experienced with my family. At times when I am down, I can always look back and remember what made me happy. It is easy to conclude that it isn’t necessarily the presence of the moments, however if they were not spent with someone are, they easily remembered. While it is possible for some moments to last longer than others the memory of that moment is still the same. While looking at this concept it is also easy to combine the concept of pain and whether those moments mean more or less than each other. Such as losing a loved one, where the effect last longer than merely having a bad day. Mill points out that something is more pleasurable by how many people have experienced it. When a happy moment only affects you, it is considered less effective than a moment that has affected several people. One happy moment of this measure that I can think of that affects a larger group of people is when someone returns home after a long period away. The person returning is happy as well as those anticipating his/her arrival. On the other hand, if the person has no one awaiting their arrival it is not a happy moment anymore more of a lonely sad moment.  Another way we can determine the quantity of the happy moment would be to understand what the person is willing to risk in order to make that experience happen. When the risk is greater than the award it is easy to see how that moment is valued in the person’s life. Their desire is so great they don’t think of the lasting effect it will have only the present emotion they receive. If the risk outweighs the amount of pleasure received will the moment later still be received the same. In concluding this question, I would have to say that a happy moment is measured by the quality because again in relating it to my life many of my happy moments are spent with other and making memories with them.

Mill, J. (2010). Utilitarianism. Retrieved December 14, 2018, from https://nu.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/institution/National University/National University Online (NUO)/PHL - Philosophy (NUO)/PHL 100/Week-3/Mill Utilitarianism.pdf

 

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