CHAPTER 7: THE GOOD LIFE
OBJECTIVES:
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Identify the principles of Plato and Aristotle in attaining Good life.
Define Good life
Discuss Good life is attained by science and technology
Enumerate the 5 goals of Good life
PLATO – The task of understanding the things in the world runs parallel with the job of truly getting into
what will make the soul flourish.
In an attempt to understand reality of the external world, man must seek to understand himself too.
ARISTOTLE – gave a distinction between the theoretical and practical sciences.
THEORETICAL DISCIPLINES – Aristotle included LOGIC, BIOLOGY, PHYSICS and METAPHYSICS
PRACTICAL DISCIPLINE – Ethics and politics.
TRUTH – Is the aim of the theoretical sciences, “GOOD” is the end of the practical ones.
 Every attempt to know is connected in some way in an attempt to find the good or as said the
attainment of human flourishing.
 We have seen how a misplaced or an erroneous idea of human flourishing can turn tables for all
us, make sciences work AGAINST us rather than FOR us, and draw a chasm between the search
for truth and for the good.
ARISTOTLE
 Approached the Problem of reality from a scientific lens
Goal of life: HAPPINESS
PLATO – World of forms and World of matter.
 Plato claims that despite the reality of change, things remain, and they retain their ultimate
whatness
WORLD OF MATTER – things are changing and impermanent.
WORLD OF FORMS – entities are only copies of the ideal and the models, and the FORMS are the only
real entities.
Compared to his teacher (PLATO), Aristotle puts everything back to the ground in claiming that this
world is all there is to it and that this world is the only reality we can all access.
 Aristotle disagreed with his teacher’s position and forwarded the idea that there is no reality
over and above what the senses and can perceive.
 Change is a process. Start as potentialities and move toward Actualities.
 Aristotle extend this analysis from the external world and declares the even HUMAN BEINGS are
POTENTIALITIES who aspire for their ACTUALITIES.
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Human being moves according to some end.
Every action emanates from a person is a function of the purpose (TELOS).
We all want to be happy
Aristotle claims that happiness is the be all and end all of everything we do.
What Aristotle means in happiness is Human Flourishing, a kind of contentment in knowing that
one is getting the best out of life.
 MAXED OUT HIS POTENTIALS IN THE WORLD.
5 Goals of Good life
MATERIALISM
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Material wealth as the primary source of the meaning in life.
HEDONISM
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Obtaining and indulging in pleasure because life is limited.
STOICISM
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Happiness can only be attained by a careful practice of apathy.
THEOISM
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Ultimate basis of happiness is communion and serving God while waiting to return in God.
HUMANISM
 Captain of his own ship, seeking for ways on how to improve the lives.
 The reason why Technology came across and evolved
Whether or not we agree with these technology advancements, these are all undertaken in the hopes of
attaining the good life.
The balance however, between the good life, ethics and technology has to be attained.