Is Socrates dissatisfied better than a pig satisfied?
By Tom Lundis <Kman26@hotmail.com>
Is Socrates dissatisfied better than a pig satisfied?
Hospers differentiates happiness from pleasure in three main ways (pg. 120-121). 1). First, pleasure is something transient: you can feel pleasure one moment, and then pain the next moment. However, one would not say that they are happy at one moment, and then suddenly they are unhappy. Happiness is more of a state of consciousness attained after evaluating one's entire life. 2). Secondly, one can tell whether they are in pain or feeling pleasure at any given moment, but someone would have to evaluate a period of there life to discern if they were happy. 3). Thirdly is that pleasure and pain are occurrent states, in that they can happen suddenly and may pass as quickly. Happiness is more of a disposition to behave one who is happy acts differently than one who is unhappy. Happiness is something that does not happen to someone; it must be strove for. Thus while animals can feel pleasure and pain, they cannot attain true happiness.
Should one strive simply to string together as many individual pleasures as possible, or should one strive for a general state of happiness at the risk of feeling both pain and pleasure? I believe that too much pleasure is bad for a person. I believe that an Epicurean state is more advisable; avoid the extremes of either pleasure or pain. But, people were not meant to seek only physical pleasure or avoid physical pain: to live one's life in this manner is to live the life of something below that of a human. If one is to live the life of a human, then they should strive to go beyond the simple pleasures of animals. Thus Socrates (or any other human) dissatisfied is better than a pig satisfied.
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Jamie Meadows <riojeepgrl>Very well writen, I guess I do agree with you.
Gina Baker <daphine10@hotmail.com>Your paper was very good. But I think that someone can feel happiness and then be unhappy. For example if you just get married you are happy, but then you find out that someone in your family was killed then I think that you would be unhappy. I don't know if what I wrote makes much sense but your paper was still very intresting.
Michael Tucker <tuckerm@greenwood.net>Nice paper. No comments.
Anna C. Nance <eirendel@yahoo.com>I agree and the arguement was well written.
Matthew Knight <mknight_dsb@hotmail.com>I agree with your statement that happines does not just happen, we must strive for it.
Leah Patterson <coco_c_007@hotmail.com>I must agree with your thought that humans must go beyond the accumulation of pleasure and avoidance of pain to be truly "human" -- to raise themselves above the level of animals. Truthfully, though, I'm not too hip on the Epicurean beliefs that you integrated into your paper. On the whole, though, your thoughts were clearly expressed. You did a very good job.
jennifer lester <lesterjennifer@hotmail.com>once again, i am not sure exactly how i feel on this topic yet.
Rachel Crowe <rcrowe@usa.net>I completely agree. A full life is full of pleasures and pains, and therefore, feeling only pleasure is not really living.
Chun Yeung <jane1227@yahoo.com>I agree with you that human beings should strive to go beyond the simple pleasures of animals. But, I think people can be happy this moment, and then suddenly be unhappy as well. It happens quite often to those people who are in a state of depression.
Amy Young <bbfhyoung@yahoo.com>How does a person know if they are truly happy right now if they have to look back on their lives and identify times when they were in this state? I agree with some of the statements that you made.
Tim Andrews <tandrews@emeraldis.com>I agree with your paper--life should be more than just seeking pleasure.
Demetri <dandrews92@hotmail.com>Is happiness possible only in retrospect?
Nichole sanders <snk79@hotmail.com>I don't exactly understand your title, but I understand what you are saying. I don't agree. I feel that we do do things for the fulfillment of ourselves to a certain extent.
Due Date <4/3/00>Formal Comments Completed