What is Happiness?

What is Happiness

Introduction

The basic meaning of the term happiness ' in most popular languages of Europe involves the notion of a good experience , lucky fortune , good event . But since the rise of philosophy in Ancient Greece this concept was the focus of discussions and speculation . The nature of happiness the elements that constitute it , the reasons and conditions that cause and define it , the difference between happiness and pleasure , how happiness is connected to the human mind , will and how it influences man 's living - these questions were discussed by

lots of philosophic schools . Greek philosophers examined the problem of happiness since the ethical point of view , giving the psychology of happiness marginal significance . At present , on the contrary , a lot of schools focus on philosophical psychology , thus taking it as an aspect from which happiness is observed and discussed

Ancient philosophy

It is well known that in ancient mythology happiness was regarded as a gift , presented to people by Fortune . A lot of serious philosophers in Greece based their viewpoints on this idea , thus treating happiness as a gist of gods . Later this concept transformed into an idea that happiness as a reward fir virtue and good life . Thus , obtaining happiness depended upon how much good the person did in his life . Under such terms the definition of good ' is worth a special attention . Socrates defines it as eupraxia . This term is then explained and more closely defined by Plato as such harmonious functioning of the parts of man 's soul as shall preserve the subordination of the lower to the higher , of the non-rational to the rational

According to this idea , happiness is a necessary part of such agreement rather than recompense . It belongs to the whole soul , and Plato refers to happiness as to the primary subject for demand of the soul . Cyrenaics and Stoics were agree to Plato , while putting happiness as a result of following nature ' policy . Here is how Cyrenaics defined following nature "Gratify the sensuous faculties which are the voices of nature Stoics defined it as following "Satisfy your reason which nature bids us to exalt by the entire suppression of our sensuous appetites Happiness is for them is the result of virtuous living , which reveals in peace and spiritual liberty (Barnet 970

In the ethical system of Aristotle happiness , which is referred to as eudaimonia , is the central object . Artistotle is agree with Plato in his denial of opposition between nature and reason , set by the Sophists , and central for this school and for Epicurean school , and he also finds this opposition exaggerated . Both the many and the cultivated call [the highest good] eudaimonia , and suppose that living well and doing well are the same as being eudaimon . But they disagree about what eudaimonia is , and the many do not give the same answer as the wise

Aristotle refers to nature as to a human nature in general , including both sensuous and rational elements . His definition of happiness is much close...