Experience, Trial and Error, and Knowledge
Experience, Trial and Error, and Knowledge A belief in logic and reason as the primary path to knowledge and wisdom was my starting point. With careful thought and applying what I could learn from others, I could live well. I was wrong. Relying on intelligence and reason to solve problems is appealing. If you have […]
Inequality, Liberty, Opportunity, and the Unfairness of Life
Inequality, Liberty, Opportunity, and the Unfairness of Life Life is unequal and unfair, affecting individual happiness in several ways. Our ability to thrive depends partly on understanding inequality and developing a moral framework to deal with it. This essay explores the nature of inequality and its impacts. It then suggests an approach to living well […]
Evil – What It Is and What to Do About It
Evil – What It Is and What to Do About It Living well is primarily about pursuing good. But what about evil? A good person recognizes evil and responds appropriately. Better yet, they work to prevent it. The focus here is on the people, actions, and even ideas that far exceed standard definitions of bad. […]
Love and Happiness
Love Everyone cares about love. Poets, philosophers, and religious leaders have written much about it. Life without love would be bleak. But love has many meanings and affects happiness in different ways. Choice is a feature of love relevant to learning how to live. There are choices about whether and how to love, regardless of […]
The Value of Work
The Value of Work Work affects happiness. It is unavoidable given the number of hours spent working during life. Understanding the relationship between work and thriving can help make work contribute to our well-being rather than detract. I always wanted to work. As a child, I offered to mow a neighbor’s lawn even before I […]
Virtues That Most Affected My Life: Humility
Virtues That Most Affected My Life: Humility A story about Socrates highlights the essence of humility. When asked who the wisest person in Athens was, the Oracle of Delphi said Socrates. Socrates said this couldn’t be true because he knew nothing. By admitting his ignorance, Socrates confirmed the oracle’s judgment. Humility is acknowledging our limitations, […]
The Individual Versus the Community
The Individual Versus the Community There is tension between living for our happiness and living for the benefit or happiness of others. There is an eternal conflict between the needs and desires of the individual and those of the community. I struggled to determine which is most important, whether more of one means less of […]
Virtues That Most Affected My Life: Moderation
Virtues That Most Affected My Life: Moderation Several virtues share a focus on self-control and balance in life. Moderation is perhaps the broadest. It is the term I prefer. For my purposes, moderation includes the classic virtues of temperance and continence. Temperance involves control over desires and avoiding excess. Continence often refers to controlling emotional […]
Determining Truth
Determine What is True How should we decide whether what we learn is true and should be used to guide our life? We take in lots of information but only some of it is true. Determining truth is not easy for broad principles about living and moral philosophy. There are no certain answers. At best […]
Seek Knowledge and Wisdom
Seek Knowledge and Wisdom Part of any plan to thrive should be a persistent drive to gain knowledge and wisdom. Wisdom is one of the four cardinal virtues, and it is essential for a happy life. Wisdom requires a foundation of conceptual and practical knowledge. The work of gaining knowledge and wisdom is immense. No […]