The pursuit of happiness is at the core of everything we do. It's what drives us to improve our careers, our relationships, and our well-being.
It can come to us through simple things like seeing a child's smile or a beautiful scenery. It could be in the form of material wealth; through money, estates, and other displays of possession. It could also be found in the conquest of truth; in discovery, in finding meaning; in creating an integration of the natural world and our psyche.
Each of us have diverse paths toward our jubilations, and there are complex choices we have to make to attain them. Given this, how can we make sure that our choices always lead to happiness?
It is helpful to know that people across history have asked this same question. In ancient Greece, in particular, the philosopher Aristotle has realized a helpful concept that can keep us in the path of wellness. He puts forward that the happiness we seek is analogous to what he calls the golden mean.
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The Golden Mean
In his book, Nichomachean ethics, Aristotle sympathize with us all when he says "Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence." This exemplifies that even 2000 years ago, attaining happiness is as important to the Greeks as it is to us now. To achieve this end, Aristotle puts emphasis on the cultivation of virtues, claiming that happiness naturally springs forth "when our soul is in its most appropriate spot."
This equilibrium, Aristotle claims, is the seat of happiness. It is "the golden mean," the middle ground between excess and deficiency.
Aristotle observed that virtues such as courage, temperance, honesty, and generosity can be found in the middle of vices. In the far ends of the spectrum, both our excesses and deficiencies produce the same results by making us worse version of ourselves. They only bring transient comfort and makes us unhappy in the long term, in contrast to the virtues in their midst that brings lasting self-esteem and contentment.
Aristotle further points out that we can best identify golden means by using reason. For example, suppose one is an a situation to decide to either go out with friends or do home works that are due the next day. On the left side of the spectrum, one can go out, get pleasure and procrastinate on the task. This is an excess that is self-indulgent. But on the other end, constant refusal of recreation activities can make one neglect social life. This then is self-deprivation. Using our sense of reason dictates that we need to find a golden mean between these two extremes. A compromise between being a responsible a student and having a healthy social life. The golden mean here is moderation.
Here's another example, consider being in a dangerous situation. Going through without mindful thinking makes one reckless, but failure to act on the other hand makes one a coward. The golden mean to embody here is to have have courage, a right amount of bravery that is counseled by reason.
In matters of education, identifying a golden mean also plays a helpful role. When we are overly skeptical, we tend to become intolerant of other people and ideas, but a severe lack of independent thinking makes us susceptible to misinformation. It is the virtue of open-mindedness that is the golden mean here. The act of taking responsibility for our education while at the same time being inclusive of other perspectives.
The concepts of Eudaimonia and Phronesis
Aristotle sees the pursuit of happiness as a means for personal growth. In a latter part of the Nichomachean ethics, he refers to a state called Eudaimonia, a condition of human flourishing that results in living in accordance to virtues. Aristotle observes that we are at our best when we are fulfilling our utmost capacities. As such, continuous exercise of reason in identifying golden means ensure us of a tranquil spirit.
Happiness depends upon ourselves.
He further proposes a proactive approach towards happiness. He regards happiness as a responsibility that cannot be achieved by theory alone. In order for us to be truly happy, there must be what he calls Phronesis, the ability to discern right actions to achieve our goals. This is synonymous with having sound judgment, clear intention, and prudence. Aristotle claims that by having phronesis, we can put the golden means into action. It is the bridge that takes the golden mean from being a mere philosophy into a pragmatic action step that brings us lasting contentment.
An incessant balancing act
A practical idea like the golden mean requires an utmost commitment to be realized. Embodying it, as we know by now, requires us stay to in constant equilibrium between our virtues and vices.
It would be helpful to think however that no matter how hard this balancing act may be, being happy is completely within our control. It's a responsibility that we have to bear and it ask us to be emotionally and mentally mature. I do think that most of us are willing to pay these high prices to be happy. Everyone of us can live a life in accordance to virtues, no matter how hard or tedious their pursuit might be.
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Conclusion
Aristotle's golden mean gives us a simple, actionable idea on how to be happy. By living in accordance to virtues, he encourages us to use our reason and determine the courses of action that helps us flourish into our best selves.
It proves that philosophy can be practical, and shows that happiness doesn't have to be a mere ideal but a truth that we can all attain.
References
Articles
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_mean_(philosophy)
https://philosophybreak.com/articles/the-golden-mean-aristotle-guide-to-living-excellently/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/golden-mean
https://historyplex.com/aristotles-philosophy-of-golden-mean
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Golden_mean_(philosophy)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phronesis
Youtube videos
Bitesize philosophy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-eVJh2P0hY
Crash course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrvtOWEXDIQ
Mindful sage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpOqCo3_LO0
Philosophy toons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4UWGY0RSOE
Philosophy toons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXer2s9R6DI
Philosophy toons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0UozygAZUw
Philosophy toons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcVaTP-Nuz0
Philosophy toons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ii3sKS8yV8
Clear and pleasant presentation of Aristotle's Eudemonia. Reminds with the Buddhist concept of "Enlightenment" : the state of Wisdom, Compassion and Courage (to take action to help others). Another similarity is the Golden Means' analogy with the concept of "Middle Way" in Mahayana Buddhism. The Middle Way is about avoiding extremes (for example: neither ego-nor sacrifice) . And thank you for the quote on human beings flourishing like plants: almost the same vision was mentioned in the Lotus Sutra.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in a phenomenon called: The Nonlocality of Insight. Your article provides proofs that insight into philosophical concepts emerges independently, east and west. Will added your quotes as references to my article on the subject (published in 2022 in the Philosophical Review: https://www.darshams.info/welcome/article-2022.html).
Thank you, Safwan. As much as our present understanding dictates, we can't deny the similarities of insights between the east and the west. Though wrapped in different clothing because of traditions and local survival agendas, world religions, as I understand it right now, all point towards the human condition. It is only culture that makes our experience local; Human condition itself is nonlocal. Therefore, convergence of philosophical insights occur, and will continue to as we will come to see, as humankind continue to raise consciousness.
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