Happiness as The End

The concept of happiness as the end of all that we do is understnadable. But what do we call the moments between now and the end? In life there are many things we do to make ourselves happy but what about the things we do, not because we want to, but because we have to? People who work jobs that they do not like are not performing an activity that makes them happy. The end may be that they are paid, thus affording the ability to continue to live, but are they truly happy? When we do things in life that do not make us happy but allow us to continue living, is that ultimately achieving a form of happiness that we are unaware of? With this interpretation, it seems like the moments in life that we think are not happy, lead to a greater understanding of what life is, and that is a happiness in itself.

Am i just naturally virtuous?

In class, i had trouble understanding the difference between being naturally virtuous and truly virtuous. As long as someone is being virtuous, i didn't see how there could really be a difference. If i do the right thing, then i've simply done the right thing. So why should someone have to try and decipher whether my actions are natural or true? I walk a dog along st. charles and i usually run into a homeless person at least once a week if not more. so if i give them money, i think my actions should be truly virtuous regardless of why i did it. It's never a matter of recognition or anything like that, because that is never virtuous in any way. If i do it just because i feel good helping someone and my parents, schools, and religion have influenced me to be this way, does that mean i am only naturally virtuous because it seems to be a habit of mine that i have grown to possess? Or suppose i do it because i know that the money i give will possibly feed the homeless person for a day and give them some satisfaction. does that mean i have done a truly virtuous act? i believe i had the right feelings in both situations and it would bring about the right end in both situations. So the separation of truly virtuous and naturally virtuous still seems to slightly confuse me.

Lose Yourself

As we live our fast paced lives as college students who have worked toward a future, who have paved a road of opportunity for ourselves, remembering to step back and reflect can be a hard task. However, when we do take these opportunities to learn about ourselves, they can be tremendously helpful in discovering who we are or who we may become. Choice after choice, from drugs and drinking to sex and relationships, is thrown at us faster than ever before and we're expected to walk away as mature individuals who can handle the responsibilities of the world. Even as we shape our paths toward success, parts of who we are may very well be left behind in the process.

Compromise, experience, success, failure - all of these play major roles in developing who we are as individuals, but we cannot rely on the flow of time to simply bestow on us the lessons taught by each. Instead, it is our task to take as much from these ups and downs of our lives while retaining what it is that makes us who we are. Perhaps a bit cliche, but these meditations can prove to be invaluable when arriving at a crossroad of what to believe or what you expect from yourself. Take these chapters in stride and learn to never be complacent with your understanding of the world or yourself.

"Nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.” - Oscar Wilde

Rational & Irrational Decisions

During Friday’s class, Dr. Layne covered the reasoning behind rational and irrational decisions; specifically how the rational part of the soul (reason) and the irrational part (desire) must harmoniously be in accordance so that an action can be considered virtuous. Now that I’ve had time to think of it, I believe we all are motivated by various reasoning to take a certain course of action. But then again, can’t we rationalize virtually any decision? It still doesn't make that decision "right". So the next question would be who determines what’s right and what's wrong? Can’t a person live by their own set of moral principles and standards? Throughout my questioning, I couldn’t help but relate these thoughts to the great film: “The Dark Knight”. What Batman does is clearly against the law. What exactly separates him from a vigilante? Yes, he helps people and he has very honorable reasons that motivate him, but yet if he is caught; he will be prosecuted. Does that mean he should discontinue his mission? Only he can answer that. Did Batman make the right decision at the end of the film to take the blame for the murders committed by Harvey Dent? Who knows? What’s safe to say is that he remained true to himself and his principles making a decision that will have a ripple effect on Gotham City and numerous of individuals both directly and indirectly for years to come. Human history is made up of countless choices by people for all kind of reasons which has lead us up to the present time. In the end, you just hope that things work out for the best for everyone.

How to Make Promiscuousness Virtuous

Today in class we examined the possibility of lots of sex being a virtuous action (if done in the right moment, with the right feeling, in the right way, and for the right ends). Obviously, growing up in the 21^st century in the United States of America, my first reaction was to call myself a good person… I mean to scoff at the possible idea of making promiscuousness a virtue. Professor Layne argued that the glitch in being able to make this happen was to convince society, or at least a group of followers, that lots of sex, in the way, at the time, with the feeling, for the end in which you’re “doing it,” is good. So maybe I’m not a good person, BUT I began thinking of ways in which this is possibly played out in society toady.

What I came up with was the rationalized, what I will call, call girl. I find a lot of times in society these professions are frowned upon and I’m sure we all can think of a demeaning name or two for such professionals. However, often times we (as in an obscure group of people) may find ourselves empathizing with call girls if we understand the nature in which they came from—for example a girl who could not afford college any other way. In this example the girl would choose her clients and location wisely, does it to pay for her education (which will provide her a better nature and thus better virtuous opportunities), and has feeling for it like any other business person (and of course, uses protection). There’s something almost courageous (or romantic?) in this girl who does anything to make a better nature for herself. And maybe that’s what courage is, people who redefine virtue. Or maybe, they're just crazy.

SPEAKING OF WHICH: for those who chose to read this blog post for its alluring title: don’t be a fool, wrap the tool.

Buffy who slays Vampires but still mediates her base appetites with reason

When Dr. Layne first announced our weekly blog assignment, I decided to have as much fun with it as I could. I thought that choosing a theme would make the assignment a little more challenging, and choosing a theme like Buffy the Vampire Slayer would mean that I could live out every kid's dreams of college, and watch TV for my homework.

The show is smartly done, uses clever metaphors to make unexpected points without losing the amusing action, and rarely fits into the logic based philosophy of the Greeks. I started to worry that I had assigned myself an exercise in sophistry, and that I would only connect Buffy with the classical philosophers through daring feats of logic.

Then my girlfriend explained it all to me: Aristotle's ethics gave writers like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby the basis of the superhero character. Like Aristotle sought the essential function that distinguishes humanity, his ethics define the essential function of a superhero.

Heroism is more than strength and ability--villains have that. It's more than circumstance--the heroes go looking for their fights. It's more than winning--sometimes, even superheroes lose. In our ideal representations of heroes, these individuals use reason to reign in their desires and to harness powers beyond brute strength.

Once again, the works of famous philosophers are played out between characters on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Characters without superhuman strength still think ethically and do what is right. Buffy uses her ideas of what is right to mediate her desire to use her power impulsively. In season 6, when she loses her grip on the reasons behind her virtue, she becomes intensely unhappy. Only when she redirects her actions to again accord with her reason is her feeling of satisfaction restored.

exploring why virtue is knowledge

As discussed in class last Monday, I agree 100% that in order to be virtuous, one must also be knowledgeable. Like all attributes, one must know what it means to have or act upon that attribute, or else the attribute isn't there. To be virtuous, in my opinion, is abiding a universal moral conduct to do the good. Good actions are virtuous, but before deeming oneself as virtuous, habits of good action must be performed and knowledge of what virtue is must be attained.