How Can Live The Good Life - 1345 Words

How to Live the Good Life Every individual has their personal definition of what the good life is to them. It is a high standard of living that is associated with happiness and living a life worth living. This life will create endless joy and bliss for that person. To some, this might be living the American Dream by having a blue-collar job and residing in the suburbs with a white picket fence. Every individual is different though and has a different belief system. These various values can lead to different goals in life and habits. Philosophers Plato and Aristotle have their own views on the good life. According to Plato, this life is lived by fulfilling the natural function that all things possess; whereas, for Aristotle, it is about†¦show more content†¦In The Trial and Death of Socrates, Plato says, â€Å"for the best possible state of your soul, as I say to you: Wealth does not bring about excellence, but excellence makes wealth and everything else good for men, both i ndividually and collectively† (Plato 154). This quote shows Plato’s theory that knowledge creates virtue and that virtues is learned through education. So we have to relearn what our soul forgot after entering our bodies. He believes that our souls are pure and well-informed of right doing, but once it becomes a part of us, we have to reteach it what is right from wrong. Aristotle believes that to live the good life one has to be intellectual and have good behaviors. He uses the word Eudaimonia to describe this theory which is translated to happiness. By having these two qualities, one can become a virtuous person. To be a virtuous person they have satisfied inclination that are rational desires and actually wants to do what is right, and does it. Therefore, developing healthy habits lead us toward obtaining a better life. Whereas, picking bad habits makes us believe we are headed towards things that are good but may turn out to be bad for us. By picking these respectab le habits, one gets closer to being a virtuous person. He believes that what is good for one person is good for another. There are three types of good, and these are bodily goods, external goods, and goods of the soul.Show MoreRelatedHow Does Society Define A Good Life? Essay1228 Words   |  5 PagesTo have a good life, one must aspire to obtain one. Many people aspire to lead a good life but they nearly never truly obtain one. Life has obstacles, which makes it difficult for a person to lead a good life. Living a good life would be, being able to sustain oneself as well as one’s family members with little to no struggle. Equally important, a person should be happy while leading this so called, â€Å"Good Life.† â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living.† (Plato.) Knowing what makes you happy andRead MoreMorality : An Essential Key Component For One s A Good Life1696 Words   |  7 Pagesto make â€Å"good† decisions and become a productive member of society. It’s an essential key component for one to live a good life. Through this understanding and instilment of a moral foundations, one can live a good life. A good life that includes making the right choices in any given situation that follows our moral grounds. Our moral grounds include assisting others when asked, sacrificing one’s own time for others, and much more. Morals help us understand how to go about making â€Å"good decisionsRead MoreSimilarities Between The Truman Show And Animal Farm1219 Words   |  5 Pagesperfect Utopia? What is needed for a good life? These questions are so important when it comes to human’s view on power and control and how it should be used. In both stories, ‘Animal Farm’ (written by George Orwell) and ‘The Truman Show’ (directed by Peter Weir), the author and director explore these themes. Power and control, the good life, utopia. These three themes are key to living the full life. To hav e a utopia you must have a good life and to have a good life you must have your own power andRead MoreEssay on Seneca the Younger and Good Life1242 Words   |  5 Pageslater Stoic philosophers who had a huge contribution to the Stoicism in Roman Imperial Period, claimed that practicing philosophy is the only way to live a good live (Cooper and Procope 1995: xv; Seneca Letter XC Ex. 1). It was a very brave statement at that time and has been a controversy until now. This essay will explain what philosophy and good life are in Seneca’s view, then consider the role of philosophy, and finally extend the reasons why that assertion cannot be accepted. According to theRead MoreNicomachean Ethics: Leading a Virtuous Life880 Words   |  3 Pagesdevoted entire lives to the search for happiness. One such person who devoted a great deal of thought to the question of mans happiness was the famous ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle. In his book The Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle discussed the meaning of happiness and what it meant to live a good life. He asserted that the devise which has been invented to create what is good for man is called politics; and it uses the rest of the sciences ¦so that this end must be the good for man. (AristotleRead MoreWhat Does It Happen?1147 Words   |  5 Pagesfear- it might feel as though maybe life has no meaning. Maybe it may feel like you have no purpose, no one does, and everything is pointless. Why am I even in university? What do I truly want in life? It may seem like you have tried everything. Your whole life you have always felt it, the void within you that you just cannot seem to fill . What am I really part of? Is it anything? What on earth is real? I mean, truly real? What is the point of it all? How comforting it is to hear that we areRead MoreA Good Life Essay906 Words   |  4 Pagesdefine the common good and what constitutes a good life. While the definition of what is a good life can vary from person to person, whether that mean academic achievement, financial success, or a certain social status; for me, a good life is a life driven through goals and purpose. A life in which you set goals and strive to reach them despite the physical, mental, or emotional obstacles that can get in your way. In Viktor Frankl’s What is a Good Life? Frankl states that, â€Å"Everything can be taken fromRead MoreEssay on What is a good life?1083 Words   |  5 Pagesis a good life? In today’s world, humans are often misled on what really is a good life. We are constantly shown through the television and magazines that being rich and famous is the way to go when it comes to a good life, when in truth many of them are miserable by problems that usually wouldn’t affect the common person. In truth there are only a few that are rich and famous and do achieve what can probably considered one of the greatest achievement’s by a man which is having a good life. In myRead MoreLiving Off The Grid1593 Words   |  7 Pagessustainable and intentional communities are rising across the nation as more people are discovering that they possess a strong inclination to live in the same manner as the Amish. This phenomenon is becoming a progressively popular choice for people from all walks of life. Not only are environmentalists and survivalists escaping the city life in efforts to live off the grid, but single families and people who are seeking to explore a simplified lifestyle are also joining the trend. Living off theRead MoreEssay on Living Life in American Samoa803 Words   |  4 PagesLiving Life in American Samoa There are many different people living in this world with different culture diversity, and ways of making a living. American Samoans are one of these countries with different cultures and different ways of living. Living life in American Samoa is more unique from other countries. First of all, living life in American Samoa is easier then any other countries as far as I know. In American Samoa we get food free because the Samoans mainly live off the land. There

Pro-Choice Persausive Essay Free Essays

â€Å"One method of destroying a concept is by diluting its meaning. Observe that by ascribing rights to the unborn, i. e. We will write a custom essay sample on Pro-Choice Persausive Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now , the nonliving, the anti-abortionists obliterate the rights of the living†(Rand). The meaning behind this statement is powerful and the speaker is trying to surface the need for concern of the living when regarding abortion. Although the nonliving should be considered when contemplating an abortion, the primary focus should be on the mother. Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy and is becoming an increasingly volatile issue; a topic that almost everybody has a stance on. Abortion opponents or â€Å"Pro-lifers† believe that the fetus is a human being at the moment of conception, and abortion therefore is murder. Those against abortion also agree that the government should have control over a women’s body and forbid her to have abortion. On the flip side, â€Å"Pro-choicers† argue that the fetus is only a potential child, and not a human until the moment the child can survive on its own. So, the rights of the self-sustaining, living, mother overpower the rights of the dependent fetus. Abortion should be an available option to women throughout the United States. Especially since in some cases it’s an option that separates life and death. First of all, sometimes medical issues decrease the chance of a healthy, successful birth or life, and abortion should be available to prevent a disastrous outcome. In many instances, abortions are needed to save the life of the pregnant women. An example of this situation is an ectopic pregnancy, or a pregnancy that occurs outside the uterus- usually in the fallopian tubes. (Hurley) This causes certain death to the fetus, and if not aborted, also to the expecting mother. If abortion was not permitted under any circumstance, these women would lose their lives trying to give birth. Medical problems can also occur in the fetus, that make a healthy life seem near impossible. Patau syndrome, a rare and very severe chromosome disorder leads to mental retardation and physical defects-so severe that many babies die soon after birth. (Day) Because Patau syndrome is a chromosomal disease, it can be detected during the pregnancy, giving the women an option to end the pregnancy. This option is beneficial to both the fetus and mother. The trauma of having your newborn die soon after birth is unbearable. Also thinking of the child, the suffering of hospitalization only to pass away in the near future is horrible, and therefore abortion is the most humane solution to this horrific disease and others similar. Living in the 21st century, the prevalence of young girls becoming pregnant is high, and the sheer age of girls causes many concerns of health for both the fetus and the girl. â€Å"70,000 girls ages 15-19 die each year from pregnancy, and babies being carried by young mothers have a 60% higher chance of dying as well†(Roleff). By allowing very young girls to go through pregnancy, more deaths occur, then if the embryo was aborted. In cases with young girls, abortion is a well thought out alternative to taking the chance of a child giving birth to a child. Medical issues are a significant argument against getting rid of abortion, but having a child can also have a negative impact on the mental health of a mother. Secondly, the mental health and stability of the women should be taken into consideration before giving birth, and abortion should stay an option to those who are not suited to give birth. Many things can contribute to the instability of women such as being a victim of rape. The woman who has been raped has undergone a terrible trauma, and carrying around a baby for nine months-her rapist’s baby- could significantly impact the victim’s mental health. Common mental health disorders resulting from sexual assault include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and even substance abuse. All disorders that a newborn should not be brought up in, and abortion should be available to the victims of such injustice. The results from giving birth can also have a very large impact on the lives of teenage and young girl’s lives. These problems include the most extreme cases of fear, disappointment, regret and low self-esteem (â€Å"Why Women Choose Abortion – Reasons Behind the Abortion Decision. â€Å"). Being a very young mother, many obstacles are thrown your way, and having one of these symptoms or conditions can make having a baby truly difficult. Most of the times teen mothers are left to be a single parent, making raising a child seem near impossible. Likewise not being emotionally ready for a baby, causes many women to be remorseful and regret having the child, this isn’t the best situation to bring a baby up in. A child should be blessed to people who are willing to take care of him or her. Abortion is sometimes a moral choice when pregnancy is unwanted and will be uncared for. â€Å"There are approximately 210 million orphans in the world (Knapp)†. It’s obvious that there are not enough families for all these children. If a pregnancy will lead to giving the baby to an orphanage maybe abortion is an option for that mother. Since the numbers are so high, and spots so precious, women should be able to receive an abortion instead of allowing the child to end up on the streets somewhere. If the fetus is kept, the children are likely to be neglected and don’t receive the attention and support they need. â€Å"Children who are born out of wedlock to women who are not prepared to raise a child are more likely to be unable to function in society and to become violent or criminals†(Roleff). This fact proves that because originally the fetus was unwanted, the parents failed to use proper parental guidance. This aspect was overlooked and therefore these misfortunes end up the criminals in society. Every child should be a wanted child, and if not, abortion should remain an option to those who are unwilling to take responsibility for the fetus. Although sometimes an individual is willing to take care of the future child, but financial obligations don’t permit it. According to several small studies across the country 73 percent of women absolutely cannot afford to have a baby at the moment. As of 2009 the cost to initially have a baby was between 9,000 dollars and 25,000 dollars without insurance (Ford). Also, the cost of raising a baby to age 18 is between 125,000 dollars and 250,000 dollars and that’s not including college tuition (â€Å"Baby Expenses†). For some women this kind of expense is too much to handle, and not a possibility where they are at in their lives. Women who cannot afford to have a baby, might need abortion as a last resort, so it should stay legal. If abortion does not stay legal, many poor choices will be made in a time of desperation. Lastly, the negative outcomes of making abortion illegal outweigh the positive outcomes because many women now have to go to great lengths to get one. A negative effect of making abortion illegal would be that women will resort to â€Å"back alley clinics† in order to receive treatment. This type of clinic would obviously be illegal, so the people whom run these centers would have trouble keeping the environment sanitary, or just wouldn’t care. If the clinics no longer are sanitary, the women receiving the abortions would be exposed to disease in their fragile state. This type of center would result in a large number of deaths from ill performed abortions. If not being regulated these centers will become who knows what. In order to prevent the spread of disease and back alley clinics, abortion should continue to be legal. Abortions being legal allows sanitary offices for women to turn to for help. If abortions weren’t legal, mother would also try to kill the fetus themselves. Nicknamed â€Å"self-abortions† many women try different tactics to try to kill their baby, such as causing trauma to themselves and the fetus in order to rid of the fetus. This also provides a greater chance of death to women just trying to get an abortion. As a result of making abortion illegal many flustered, women with nothing left to do, will turn to dangerous solutions. In the end, Abortion should be an option for desperate women across the nation. There are many supporting points on why this last resort should continue to be legal. Sometimes medical issues decrease the chance of a healthy, mother or child or the survival of either could be jeopardized as well. Secondly, the mental health of some women is just not a suitable environment to bring a baby into, but also the result of the pregnancy could just as well induce mental issues too. Abortion is sometimes a moral choice because the child will not be cared for properly. Lastly, there are drastic measure women will take to get one, so they should not be illegal. All in all, the option to keep abortion legal is the right one. For some women it’s the only one. How to cite Pro-Choice Persausive Essay, Essays

Mindset Unbroken free essay sample

Before my first day of elementary school, I had known what the expectations were: work hard, study harder. Nevertheless, when high school started, I was a nervous wreck. The idea of â€Å"everything that I did now counted towards college† made me jittery and anxious. Freshman year of high school imprisoned my thoughts, freedom, and contentment. For those one hundred eighty days of school, plus weekends, I struggled to maintain the highest grade point average I could. I stayed up late studying daily for every test, every quiz, and every potential pop-quiz. The days went by slowly, and soon, my life became school, school, and school. Suddenly, the track team I was a part of no longer mattered, the parties my friends invited me to seemed like a waste of time, and my desire to do anything but study faded. The last day of freshman year was the first time I had felt genuinely happy with myself. I had prided myself with getting all As in all my classes, accomplishing the 4.5 GPA I strived for. I had done it; I had satisfied my parents words telling me, â€Å"don’t try to be the best, be the best.† Ironically, the idea of school ending gave me intense apprehension. Because I could literally not be the best in school during the summer, I had to find another way to satisfy my desire. I looked to the Cross Country team the first day summer began. Seeing as I had only made the JV team during track, I aimed to make the Varsity team for Cross Country. The first day of practice was a couple weeks before school started. Over the summer, I had run five to eight miles every day, going from a ten-minute mile to a 6-minute mile. My previous 5K time was pathetic compared to my current twenty-one minute 5K. After telling my coach and seeing his eyes light up, the feeling that I had felt on the last day of school recurred. I had a new motivation to become the best girl on the team. For three weeks, I ran with the team, and earned my place as third best girl on the Varsity team. It was guaranteed; I was going to make Varsity this season. Yet, the idea was not as comforting as I had imagined. As the weeks went on, I developed an aching pain in the middle of my left shin. Fearing the coaches would tell me the defeating words, â€Å"take it easy†, I refused to show my discomfort. On the first day of sophomore year, I made a goal. This year, I decided, was going to be better than last year. I was taking two AP courses, the maximum a sophomore could take, and five other honors courses. On the second day of sophomore year, the Cross Country team had its first meet. The gun shot off and for the first twenty feet, everyone ran in a pack. The first mile was difficult; I struggled to stay ahead of the majority of the girls in the race. The second mile, I could feel my shin cracking under my weight and the pain increasing. The third mile, I focused on the persons legs in front of me until I saw the flag. It was disappointing that there were three people ahead of me, and only twenty feet left to go. Nevertheless, I sprinted anyway to reach the finish line. With a quick snap and stumble, I was on the ground. My leg was bent at an awkward angle and my vision blurred, but I saw that the flag just ten feet away. With as much effort as I possibly could, I tried to stand up and failed myself again. I heard another crack, but refused to give up. I needed to finish the race. It was my only validation of getting a time above twenty-one minutes. But, just as I tried to get up, I heard another crack and my vision went dark. I woke up in a hospital bed in St. Barnabas. My parents were staring at an x-ray of a broken leg. It took a couple minutes before I realized it was mine. My doctor calmly explained that I had an oblique fracture in my left tibia, and complete recovery could take longer than six months. The tears rushed out like a waterfall, and the doctor offered me pain medication. There was no amount of pain medication that could soothe the agony of not finishing the race. I ended up missing a month of school. The first cast painfully confined my leg from the foot to the upper thigh restricting my movement, and limited my education. At first, I believed this was the worst thing that had ever occurred to me. It was virtually impossible to keep my grades up in all my classes without going to class. Yet, almost every day, my friends came to visit and without the constant workload, I felt a balloon of air release. I had seen my friends more that month than I had the entire year last year.Strangely, the feeling I got on the last day of freshman year and the day I saw my coach’s eyes light up persisted. It was remarkably bewildering at the same time as relieving. Only now, after four months, I realized that this feeling was relaxation. My first day back at school was awful at first. I had to drop an AP course in addition to an honors course because I was too behind to catch up. It was upsetting, and devalued my self-confidence as I discovered I was incapable of achieving what I had planned. The same feeling from before had recurred when I realized there was no way I could be the best this year. It felt unusually inspiring to learn for knowledge, rather than compete for grades. Furthermore, my coach gave me the position of Team Manager. I went to most of the meets, guiding my teammates, helping the coach, organizing races, and surprisingly, I felt genuinely satisfied with this leadership position. I was able to organize the winning race, and felt a new sense of achievement through others. I always believed achievement was getting a 4.5 GPA, or becoming the best, but in truth, achievement is so much more than doing something for yourself. Achievement is leading a team to victory.