Module 4 : Finalist Theories

How often do you make an effort to practice your strengths and virtues? (A virtue is a trait you cultivate. Ex: patience, generosity kindness). Are these traits key to a happy life? Discuss.    

          Happiness is something that you do on your own for making yourself happy and contented of what you are doing also concerning others with the decision you make. It is something that you practice with your own will with your existence here on earth. Each of us has our own virtues that we practice in our daily living, the virtue that our parent has taught us since we were young. But as we grow into mature ones, we intended to forget what they have taught us. It is in our own hands on how we should cultivate our own strengths and virtues. As for me, an effort on practicing my strength and virtues is what I must do every day. In my opinion, being able to practice these virtues will make me a better person and will make me happy every single day. But, human as we are, there are certain things that will make us forget to practice these things. Virtue of courage is just an example. I myself admit that I am not courageous like others. I easily let myself with my own emotions and people affect me and not able to fight back. The courage to stand on my own principle and taking risks with my own decision is what I am trying to do but is afraid to do so. I know I must overcome this issue with myself alone.

            For me, being able to practice these traits is a key to a happy life. With these, I guess, you are living in a carefree life knowing that you are making yourself and others happy. According to Aristotle’s theory of happiness, “Happiness depends on acquiring a moral character, where one displays the virtues of courage, generosity, justice, friendship, and citizenship in one’s life. These virtues involve striking a balance or “mean” between an excess and a deficiency.” Let’s just all remember that you make your own happiness but we must also practice equality on what we are doing.

For some, happiness relies on money. In some cases, hacking means money. Would you do hacking it if its outcome is a sure happiness of your family? What particular Aristotle theory contradicts this concept? Discuss.

          For some, happiness really relies on money. This statement is really true. People believe that if you have all the money in the world, you can have everything that anyone could ever wanted, fame, success and even buy someone’s happiness for your own sake’s happiness. But I don’t believe in this statement. I do believe that no one can buy happiness because you make your own happiness and no one could take it away from you.

            Hacking is an example of a dirty work in the information technology. And if doing hacking will ensure my family’s happiness, I will still not do it. I know for sure that my family will not be happy if they will learn that I make money because of a dirty means of acquiring it because they brought me up in a good way. And if doing so, it doesn’t bring any good on me or even with my own family.

            According to Aristotle’s Theory of Happiness, “Happiness is not pleasure, nor is it virtue. It is the exercise of virtue.” The concept of hacking just to ensure the happiness of your family contradicts this particular theory of Aristotle. This theory of Aristotle means that happiness is the exercise of one’s virtue but the virtue itself must be good. It also contradicts this theory in such a way that the exercise of his own virtue is not good enough or it is a bad exercise of one’s virtue.