PHENOMA practical book for schools 2019 PHENOMA practical book for schools 2019 | Page 64

A Philosophical Dossier on Happiness
Parmenides, Phaedo, Phaedrus, Republic, Symposium, Sophist, Statesman /
Politicus, Timaeus, Laws.
ARISTOTLE:
Happiness is…. wisdom 3
Short Biography
Aristotle 4 ​ (c. 384 B.C. to 322 B.C.) w
as an Ancient Greek philosopher and scientist who is
still considered one of the greatest thinkers in politics, psychology and ethics. When Aristotle
turned 17, he enrolled in ​ Plato​ ’s Academy. In 338, he began tutoring Alexander the Great. In
335, Aristotle founded his own school, the Lyceum ​ , in Athens, where he spent most of the
rest of his life studying, teaching and writing. Some of his most notable works include
Nichomachean Ethics, Politics, Metaphysics, Poetics​ and ​ Prior Analytics​ .
He said : ​ " ​ Happiness depends upon ourselves" ​ ( ​ Nicomachean Ethics, book 1, section
9 ​ )
EPICURUS: Happiness is… pleasure?NO, measure!
Short biography
Epicurus 5 (341—271 B.C.E.) is one of the major philosophers in the Hellenistic period, the
three centuries following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C.E. (and of ​ Aristotle in
322 B.C.E.). Epicurus developed an unsparingly materialistic metaphysics, empiricist
epistemology, and hedonistic ethics 6 . Epicurus rejected the existence of an immaterial soul,
and he said that the gods have no influence on our lives. Epicurus also thought skepticism
was untenable, and that we could gain knowledge of the world relying upon the senses. He
taught that the point of all one's actions was to attain pleasure (​ conceived of as tranquility ​ )
for oneself, and that this could be done by limiting one's desires and by banishing the fear of
the gods and of death. Some of his most notable works include Thirty-seven treatises on
“[1096 a] But perhaps it is desirable that we should examine the notion of a Universal Good, and review the
difficulties that it involves, although such an inquiry goes against the grain because of our friendship for the
authors of the Theory of Ideas. ​ 3 Still perhaps it would appear desirable, and indeed it would seem to be
obligatory, especially for a philosopher, to sacrifice even one's closest personal ties in defense of the truth. Both
are dear to us, yet 'tis our duty to prefer the truth. [...] But as a matter of fact the notions of honor and wisdom and
pleasure, as being good, are different and distinct. Therefore, good is not a general term corresponding to a
single Idea.” ​ ( Nicomachean Ethics, 1096a)
4
For more details http://www.iep.utm.edu/aristotl/
3
5
For more details http://www.iep.utm.edu/epicur/
the view that the ultimate motive for all voluntary human action is the desire to experience pleasure
or to avoid pain.
6
2