Abstract
This chapter introduces Aristotle’s version of the good life. The Greek term is eudaimonia but I will use the words ‘fulfilled’, ‘happy’ and ‘good’ interchangeably when I refer to this type of life. As part of this discussion a number of key concepts e.g. the dialectic method, the function argument and ergon will also be explained. I will try to keep the theory (as well as the Greek terms) to a minimum and mix it up with practical examples. A theoretical background is, however, necessary for the later discussion of the applicability and usefulness of virtue ethics.
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Notes
- 1.
Parts of this chapter has been previously published on the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics blog and as an the article B. Froding, Cognitive Enhancement, Virtue Ethics and the Good Life, Neuroethics (2011) 4:223–234.
- 2.
Unless stated otherwise I have used Irwin’s translation of the NE. Aristotle (1999). The Nicomachean Ethics (translation and introduction by T. Irwin), Hackett, 2nd edition.
- 3.
/NE1098a22-26/.
- 4.
See Book 1.9 of the Nicomachean Ethics.
- 5.
- 6.
In the sense of ‘natural virtue’.
- 7.
Hughes G. (2001), Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Aristotle on Ethics, NY: Routledge, p. 34.
- 8.
/NE1098a17-20/.
- 9.
Note, however, that only humans can be happy.
- 10.
For a critique see Chap. 6.
- 11.
Crisp R., Aristotle on Greatness of Soul, in Kraut R. Blackwell Companion to the Nicomachean Ethics, Blackwell, 2006. p. 14.
- 12.
Note that the studies quoted below draw on subjective self-assessment of well-being and satisfaction.
- 13.
For a broader discussion on reasons see, for example, C. Lasch (1979), The Culture of Narcissicm, New York: Norton: Z. Bauman (1991), Modernity and Ambivalence. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press: Z. Bauman (1993) Postmodern Ethics. Cambridge, MA: Basil Blackwell: Z. Bauerman (2000) Liquid Modernity. Cambridge: Polity.
- 14.
See for example The UN Human Development Report 2011 http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/; International Living’s Annual Quality of Life Index 2011; Eurobarometer 75 http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/eb/eb75/eb75_publ_en.pdf.
- 15.
- 16.
FHI, Swedish National Institute of Public Health, summary of Status Report 2007: Public Health and Social Conditions.
- 17.
- 18.
MTV International Wellbeing Study.
- 19.
For a broader discussion on some of these aspects see e.g. M. Alvesson (2006), Tomhetens Triumf, Atlas och Liber, Sweden: L. Teurell and B. Sigrell (2011), Jag, mig och mit—om narcissism i vår tid, Lind & Co, Sweden: J. M Twenge and K. Cambell (2009) The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement—America in the Age of Entitlement, Free Press, USA: J. M. Twenge (2007), Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled--And More Miserable Than Ever Before—Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled—and More Miserable Than Ever Before, Free Press, USA.
- 20.
For a complete report and literary review covering the period 1945–2009, see the Health Committee of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences report “Time trends in mental health of children and adolescents”. Barns och ungdomars psykiska hälsa i Sverige (April 2010).
- 21.
From an interview in The Observer, 15.03.09.
- 22.
- 23.
For a discussion see e.g. I. Hacking (1999) The Social Construction of What? Harvard University Press: I. Hacking, Making up People, London Review of Books, Vol 28. No. 16, pp. 23–26.
- 24.
For the online draft version of DSM V please see http://www.dsm5.org/Pages/Default.aspx.
- 25.
Other hotly debated DSM definitions include ADD (Attention-Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder).
- 26.
WHO is currently working on an updated version of symptoms.
- 27.
- 28.
Summaries and penultimate draft published on their web 2012-01-11.
- 29.
For more information see http://www.sbu.se/sv/.
- 30.
- 31.
Because the exercise of the virtues is both means and ends in themselves. The virtues themselves, on the other hand, are arguably to be understood as pure means to the noble act.
- 32.
Original quote: “it is nonsense to speak of higher and lower pleasures. To a hungry man it is, rightly, more important to eat than that he philosophize”, W. H. Auden.
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Fröding, B. (2013). The Good Life. In: Virtue Ethics and Human Enhancement. SpringerBriefs in Ethics. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5672-4_2
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