Eudaimonia
Phonic – u die mon ear
- The best activity of the soul is eudaimonia; a concept that is more than the fleeting emotions of joy and happiness but more a ‘good life’
- To achieve the good life, one must live a balanced life and avoid excess. This balance is a ‘golden mean’ between two vices – one an excess and the other a deficiency.
Virtue Theory
Virtue has to do with the proper function of a thing.
An eye is only a good eye in so much as it can see, because the proper function of an eye is sight.
What are three ways in which eudaimonia differs from the modern concept of happiness?
- It is not considered joy or pleasure
- It is not something we can go and seek but arises out of what we do
- It is not one component but a way of living.
How is eudaimonia connected to ergon? Who will need to explain what ergon is.
Ergon is to be good and good is to function fulfillingly. They differ in that we can function well to gain a sense of eudaimonia.
Greek Info
Greek word for function: you need to fulfil your fuction well.
ergon
This Greek term for happiness also means flourishing
Eudaimonia
Aristotle says we need to take a middle way. Too little will be a deficiency.
Diogenes lived in one of these.
Tub
Teacher of Plato
Socrates
Great student of Aristotle
Alexander the Great, an ancient Greek King
The most famous of Platos works – The Republic
Aristotle’s teacher
Plato
Aristotle says we need to take a middle way. If we get it just right we will achieve the ‘golden mean.’
Diogenes and Aristotle sought this moral way of living – Diogenes found it through action.
Virtue
Word which comes from the Greek for Dog and means unaccepting of social norms – used to refer to Diogenes.
Cynic
See Also
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