Pangloss: Martin, there is no doubt that we have faced great suffering in recent years. However, had I not suffered the “hellish torment of disease (Voltaire 8),” hanging, dissections, lashings, and rowing in the galleys (Voltaire 75), I would not feel the happiness of enjoying this walk with you in this beautiful and bountiful garden. All events of suffering experience throughout our existence are linked in this best of all possible worlds (Voltaire 79). And I must say, my dear Martin, that “nothing could be better (Voltaire 2)” and we are living a life of true happiness cultivating our land.
Martin: Pangloss, I must disagree with your claim.
Pangloss: But surely, Martin, you cannot deny that the sufferings inflicted upon you have ultimately lead you to this life of true happiness? You cannot deny that truly all is well in this “best of all possible worlds (Voltaire 2).”
Martin: Quite contrary to your philosophic belief, I do not feel true happiness. By cultivating the land and conducting myself in a way where idleness is avoided and productivity avails, I live a life where suffering is merely absent. True happiness, on the other hand, is not present.
Pangloss: If I am to entertain your dreary way of thinking, one freed from suffering must be causally freed from misery. Therefore, is it not true that when one achieves a life of
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In opposition to Martin’s
Candide always looks on the good side and says everything happens for a reason while his partner Martin always counters him saying that it is the opposite. “But this girl and this monk, I’d be willing to bet, are very happy creatures.’ ‘I’ll be they aren’t,’ said Martin.” Martin always puts everything down and most of the time he is
Both Voltaire’s satiric novel Candide and Frederick Douglass’s autobiographical Narrative chronicle the lives and struggles of two young men. Each young man experiences injustices in the course of his development. Candide faces his struggles by seeking material gain. Douglass faces his by discovering and applying his inner strength to find reliable sources to aid him in his journey.
"(Hillenbrand) Some times the suffering was worse
As technology improves, so do human capabilities of altering nature, which in turn creates increased responsibility. This directly relates to genetic engineering, which is beginning to morph into a reality. There are advocates for both sides that convey their personal opinions about the hypothetical results, but neither is clearly superior since both arguments speculate upon an unknown future. Hungarian psychologist, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, outlines this topic in his essay “The Future of Happiness,” which focuses on the history of selective breeding and compares the goal of happiness with genetic engineering. Csikszentmihalyi alternates between viewpoints regarding genetic engineering but presents a perspective dominated by warning.
Life should be lived to its fullest potential. There are so many joyful experiences in life as well as many sad ones. In Brian Doyle’s Joyas Volardores, Doyle explains that humans instinctively attempt to block themselves from pain. But, he says that this is not how we should live.
Nevertheless, it can be concluded that his claim on animals living better lives than human beings is to some considerable extent true. The view of aestheticism for battling suffering is, however, not factual. Schopenhauer failed to acknowledge the great significance that people’s will portrays i.e. their existence. The idea of weakening the desires of the will do not necessarily eliminate the suffering that people witness in their daily lives. In general, despite the suffering that surrounds people, life is believably good.
The purpose of this essay is to pick apart Mill’s essay and to give my own personal opinion about happiness. Stuart believed that you could achieve happiness by helping others achieve happiness and by finding things that you enjoy in life. I believe the key to happiness is helping other people achieve their happiness, do things that you enjoy doing, and looking at things in the brightest way possible. I honestly believe that everyone wakes up in the morning wanting to be happy, I have never seen a person who wakes up saying, “ I want to have an absolutely miserable day today”. It is human nature to strive for happiness and do things that you enjoy to do.
To be miserable is to be unhappy (M 78). No one desires to be miserable and unhappy (M 78).
More simply put, suffering exists; it has a cause; it has an end; and it has a cause to bring about its end.” (pbs.org) The idea is of suffering is not planned to carry a negative view of the world, instead it is intended to show a realistic view of the world as it is and attempt to provide a remedy. Buddhism do not deny the concept of pleasure, it is acknowledged that it is short-lived and the pursuit of pleasure will only develop an unquenchable thirst that will never be satisfied. When explaining the four noble truths the article reveals that they are a course of action for dealing with the many sufferings that humanity faces.
Many classical philosophers have given their voice to the nature of human life and what entails its climax. The very nature of human beings has been investigated, broadly, to establish a comprehensive understanding often pegged on morality. Yet, such thoughts have prompted diverse viewpoints with accompanying grounds or reasons. Happiness is an unending topic of discussion in philosophy. This paper explores the similarities and differences in Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism to coin a position in whether or not happiness is the ultimate end that human society aspires to acquire.
I do think we are in control of our own happiness because I think the human controls how we feel on a day to day bases because of the actions we do so really I do think we control our own happiness just how we control our actions. So One example is our decisions that we do during the day make our happiness because if you start thinking about all this negative stuff you won't be happy therefore like say if your in school and all this negative stuff starts to happen you just got to deal with it because if you don't then that shows that your not a strong person inside and that any little thing will bother and will ruin your day and so if you just know how to deal with it and put it aside and not let it break your happiness then that shows that
"Follow it, and that will be Mara 's bewilderment. Follow it, you put an end to suffering and stress. " 3 Each part of this path is important and necessary, but the very first thing mentioned by the Buddha is right view, which he goes on to explain as "Knowledge of suffering, knowledge of the origin of suffering, knowledge of the cessation of suffering, knowledge of the way leading to the cessation of suffering..." 4 Here, Buddha emphasizes the importance of wisdom about human suffering. Essentially, the path to no more suffering is understanding of suffering, which may only be achieved through extensive meditation and learning over the course of many lives.
LOSS, GRIEF AND HEALING As human beings, we suffer losses of many kinds and sizes in our life time. While some of these losses are small and do not hurt much, some are big and hurt deeply. Those that are accompanied by pains that are difficult to bear include the loss of a loved one through death or divorce, cheating or unfaithfulness in a trusted relationship or loss of good health when a diagnosis of a terminal illness is made. In all these instances of loss, pain and grief are experienced and an emotional wound is created which needs healing.
Happiness is a Choice There is no greater feeling in the world than being happy. Believe it or not, happiness is a choice that comes from within. According to a theory in Psychology, all humans have a happiness “set- point” that determines their overall well-being. When something positive happens to a person, he becomes happy. On the other hand, when something negative happens to him, he becomes miserable.
Suffering is Inevitable in Good People Nora Elsworth once said, “Those who possess goodness are destined to suffer”. Those who spend their lives on good terms and work hard are predestined to suffer, in contrary to those who do not. This is relevant in the novel Les Miserable by Victor Hugo.