Philosophy and Happiness - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 811 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/05/07 Category Society Essay Level High school Topics: Happiness Essay Did you like this example? Many great philosophers have written about the idea of happiness and what it means to the world. Happiness is a word that most people have heard at least once in their lifetime, but every person tends to have a different definition of happiness. Some believe the key to happiness is through wealth and having money to do whatever they want. Others believe happiness comes from being around loved ones like friends and family. However, in order to dive deeper into the concept of happiness, there are two philosophers who have taken it to a whole new level. One such philosopher is Aristotle, the father of western philosophy. In his writings of Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle goes into great detail about what happiness really means. He states that those that are vulgar seek pleasure for happiness, and that pleasure is not really what happiness is about. Happiness, to Aristotle, is that which is chosen for itself. It is the end result of everything that is done in ones life to achiev e a total completeness at the end that is, in his understanding, happiness. The paths of pleasure, money, and fame are merely the pathways to happiness in Aristotles mind and in order to seek happiness, one must live their life in order to achieve virtue, which will, in the end result, achieve happiness. Happiness isnt something that can be gained or lost at a moments notice. So to Aristotle, happiness is a life well lived, rather than gained from each individual path that someone has taken at that moment in time. In contrast to Aristotles philosophy of happiness, Epicurus had a different idea. According to Epicurus, happiness was achieved through the simple act of pursuing pleasures and avoiding pain, as well as not fearing for ones life. Of course, he discusses the difference between necessary pleasures and unnecessary pleasures. One necessary pleasure would be to be well fed, while an unnecessary pleasure would be to buy the newest iphone that just came out. He does clarify that happiness cannot so much as be gained by those unnecessary pleasures, as these will only one day fail us or bring us no pleasure anymore, as they are simply material things. Rather, happiness is gained by fulfilling these necessary pleasures by staying well fed, well rested, and maintaining health. Unnecessary pleasures should be avoided, as they will only end with pain. He also describes happiness as not fearing the gods and also not fearing death. Fearing these things will only cause apprehension to Epicurus, which is detrimental to experiencing the pleasures that come with life. He explains that it is easy to come by pursuing the good pleasures once one does not fear the extermination of them. The definition among both philosophers differ in that Aristotle seeks happiness along the way of life, and true happiness is not actually achieved until near the end of ones life. It is the end result that determines happiness, and not the path taken. Meanwhile, Epicurus leans more along the line of happiness being picked up along the way of ones life by maintaining ones health and good-will through taking care of ones body and not being afraid of such conditions being affected. This alone makes them vastly different. However, both seem to agree it is the path that really matters in seeking happiness. Even though Aristotles beliefs place happiness at the end of ones life, it is the journey one takes that determines it. Whether ones life was fulfilled up until that point. In the same way, it is Epicurus that believes that ones life being fulfilled is happiness in itself. While one can be happy at succeeding in life, the small act of seeking those basic pleasures and needs are what makes happiness at a succeeding life. While both definitions of happiness are different, both philosophers seem to believe that ones basic needs must be fulfilled in order to achieve full happiness. Whether happiness is achieved by looking back on ones life and seeing the good the yve done and that which they have succeeded, or the act of fulfilling those needs, both scenarios achieve true happiness in ones life, so long as these needs and pleasures are filled, according to both philosophers theories. While both are qualified theories, I believe the most helpful would be Epicurus. One can still seek happiness before the end of their life and it is displayed throughout the world that so long as ones basic needs are fulfilled, one can remain happy. This is demonstrated by different countries. In third world countries, where technology is not quite as advanced, its people still find happiness by keeping themselves well fed and their bodies being taken care of, whereas those in first world countries can be made depressed by many of the unnecessary pleasures that are widely available and acceptable to most that live there. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Philosophy and Happiness" essay for you Create order

Themes Of Shanghai Girls - 1501 Words

â€Å"See’s emotional themes are powerful...the bonds of sisterhood and the psychological journey of becoming an American† - (The Washington Post) Shanghai Girls is written in the atmosphere of 1937 Shanghai, ‘the Paris of Asia’ . Where the Chinese were influenced by the westernization. The developing Shanghai features the rapidly growing influence of the west over traditional Chinese beliefs. This enlightening story written by Lisa See shows the complex relationship between two sisters, Pearl and May. They go through hardships and suffering in order to leave war torn Shanghai and try to adjust themselves as wives in arranged marriages set by their father who looses†¦show more content†¦It was not the outwardly influences but the racism within the community that has been a powerful symbol in the book. Each character is a victim of xenophobia including the narrator and protagonists, Pearl Chin and May chin the two sisters. The first chapter opens the doorway to Pearl and May’s acquired taste and lives over a conversation during dinner with their parents. However, the atmosphere is quite cringe-worthy, as their father criticizes Pearl for her failing beauty and personality. In her opinion, she is beautiful but for her parents she is like a ‘South China peasant’. Being from bourgeois class they belonged to a prosperous family and as she describes that she lives in an ‘international city’ , they considered themselves ‘modern ‘. She faced criticism of being taller - ‘I’m taller than my father, which he loathes. We live in Shanghai, where the tallest car, the tallest wall, or the tallest building sends a clear and unwavering message that the owner is a person of great importance. I am not a person of importance’ also people called her bookish, because in 1937 it was not considered a ‘good thing ‘. So, we see how Pearl faced criticism for being educated and carefree about herself. 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Water Imbalance Free Essays

Phu Pham 002815421 Water Imbalance When we talk about water imbalance, it is necessary to first know of water’s tendency to move from high concentration to low concentration. This property of water is influenced by three conditions: isotonic, hypertonic, and hypotonic. Isotonic condition exists when the concentration of the solute is the same as the concentration inside the cell. We will write a custom essay sample on Water Imbalance or any similar topic only for you Order Now Because the concentrations are the same on both sides, there is no movement of water. In hypertonic, however, the concentration of solute is greater on the outside than on the inside, water moves outside of the cell until concentration on both sides reach equilibrium. Because water moves outside, this causes the cell to shrink. In hypotonic solution, the concentration of solute is greater on the inside than on the outside, water is drawn inside the cell to reach equilibrium while busting the cell opened. Inside the human body, there are many solutes that together make up blood and other solution necessary for life such as sodium, calcium, potassium, water†¦ These ions are called electrolytes, a vital key in maintaining the homeostasis. Serious electrolytes usually associated with sodium, potassium, and calcium. Other electrolytes disturbances are less common. A sodium imbalance occurs when there is too little or too much sodium in the bloodstream. Hyponatremia happens when there is too little sodium, and hypernatremia occurs when there is too much sodium. In normal activity, sodium is absorbed by the kidney to regulate water levels in the body. But when there is a water imbalance, such that of too much or too little of water, the body either gets rid of or absorbs too much sodium. Regular symptoms includes: muscle cramps, confusion, restlessness, agitation, tissue swelling, depression, lack of coordination, seizures, and more seriously coma. Hypernatremia, a condition when there is more sodium ions on the outside than the inside of the cells, causes fluid to be pulled from the cells of the brain resulting in cell shrinkage. This is the primary cause of neurological symptoms. Hyponatremia is a condition when there is more sodium ion on the inside than the outside of the cells. Osmotic movement of water into the brain cell may increase the brain size above normal. This can lead to seizures and other severe neurological effects. Therefore, the maintaining of electrolytes is very important in order for the cells to last. Any imbalance in the concentration of water inside the body will directly affect the concentration of solutes (electrolytes) in the blood and cause severe damage. http://rnbob. tripod. com/sodiumimbalance. htm http://www. medscape. com/medline/abstract/15982544? src=emed_ckb_ref_0 How to cite Water Imbalance, Papers