Daniel Gilbert Analysis

Shame is defined as a missed opportunity but the word itself holds a weight that differs in each individual’s story. Kevin Gilbert’s poem ‘Shame’ seeks to explore aspects of white Australian identity while capturing a powerful perspective that forces the disturbing question concerning the discrimination of Indigenous Australians.

From the dawning of modern human thought, humans have questioned the nature of life and its passing. One of the most fundamental questions to arise from this train of thought is the ideas of fate and duty. We humans desire to know whether the path of our lives is preordained and unalterable or if it is just a series of consequences from our past actions. If we live by fate and believe our path is already set in stone, then is it our obligation to fulfill that destiny to the best of our abilities or can we resist and hope to forge our own story? It is quite obvious in the epics of both Aeneus and Odysseus that the idea of fate and duty plays a huge role. The difference we see between the two is which is more important and how each epic

Aristotle argues that virtue, which is a trained faculty of habit, leads to happiness. This follows that the act of choosing a thing that makes a person good results in happiness. Equilibrium and moderation of virtues lead to happiness and contemplation, which involves discovering, and refining virtues assist individuals to be happy. In contrast, Mill provides that moral actions promote the achievement of happiness. Actions are right if they tend to promote happiness and wrong if they produce pain or suffering. Mill notes that the achievement of virtuous living can be considered happiness.

In Daniel Gilbert’s “Reporting Live from Tomorrow”, Gilbert makes use of statistics, studies, and experiments to convey a multitude of ideas, primarily the concept that while many people are opposed to, or are in disbelief of it, turning to surrogates as means of predicting our own future is quite effective. Gilbert’s concepts and theories are quite important to take into consideration not only as a general message of how human beings tend to let factors such as their imagination or their own self-image cloud their perspective on the future, but rather as an alternative viewpoint and how through surrogates, we are able to make more accurate predictions on our own future, such as what will be providing us happiness when

People travel through life with what seems like a single goal: to be happy. This may seem like a selfish way to live, however this lone objective is the motivation behind nearly all actions. Even seemingly selfless deeds make people feel better about themselves. That warm feeling experienced while doing charitable acts can be described as happiness. But what is authentic happiness? There is an endless possibility of answers to this question, and man seems to be always searching for the solution. Although one may reach his or her goals, there is always still something one strives for in order to be happy. In the book Stumbling on Happiness, Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert takes the reader through

Many people believe that fate has planned out their lives and despite efforts on their part what was meant to happen, will eventually happen. This belief has been handed down over the centuries from some of the first civilizations, such as the Greeks. However, not all Greek citizens wanted destiny to take control of their lives. Some decided to choose freewill over the will of the gods. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles writes a cautionary tale meant to warn the doubters in Greek society that regardless of their beliefs in gods and prophecies, it is necessary to heed their warnings. Oedipus, Jocasta, and Laius are Sophocles’ characters that prove that escaping one’s fate is not possible, as each of their predicted fates is realized despite extensive efforts to thwart them.

John Stuart Mill and Aristotle both address the idea of happiness as the goal of human life. They explain that all human action is at the foundation of their moral theories. Mill addresses the Greatest Happiness Principle, which is the greatest amount of pleasure to the least amount of pain. Similarly, Aristotle addresses happiness through the idea of eudaimonia and human flourishing. According to Aristotle, eudaimonia is happiness, it is the state of contemplation that individuals are in when they have reached actualized happiness. Also referred to as happiness or human flourishing, it is the ultimate goal of human beings. Happiness is “living well and acting well.” He explains that once general happiness becomes recognized as the moral standard, natural sentiment will nurture feelings that promote utilitarianism. According to Aristotle, happiness is a state of being. Both Mill and Aristotle agree that in order to attain true happiness, human beings must engage in activities that are distinct to humans and that make them happy. Aristotle’s idea of eudaimonia and human flourishing is a more compelling argument than Mill’s for happiness and the final end because Aristotle explains that the virtues bring human beings to happiness.

…. virtue’s semblance. And when a man has brought forth and reared this perfect virtue, he ……. shall be called the friend of god, and if ever it is capable of man to enjoy immortality, it …… shall then be given to him”. (212d) These lines seem to be the entire neglection of material goods, but Socrates is not denying the importance of material goods. He emphasizes on the proper use of the material things rather than the importance of their presence in human life. Socrates is stressing upon the ultimate state of happiness, which would not be disturbed by the absence of material goods. The above line states that happiness is the innate quality of soul. Moreover, he said that when a person realizes his self-equipped and mortal state of soul, then he is able to find the true happiness in his life. The knowledge of true self is the path of happiness in human life. The knowledge of the true self destroys the material desires of people. This quote presents the idea that happiness is the vision of God, which is also a belief of Thomas Aquinas on the ultimate state of happiness (The Pursuits of Happiness) After the thousand years of Socrates’ demise, the master Gautam Buddha is also referred to the Socratic concept of happiness

The pursuit of happiness is a timeless and ageless endeavor. Since the beginning of time people have searched far and wide for the source of happiness. Even the greatest minds attempt to discover the basis of all human contentment. The father of philosophy, Socrates, was one of those few that might have unearthed the key to human happiness. His understanding shaped the way that the western world sees pleasure, joy, and happiness. His views on how to obtain them are still alive today.

Both Plato and Augustine offer unusual conceptions of what one must acquire to live a truly happy life. While the conventional view of happiness normally pertains to wealth, financial stability, and material possessions, Plato and Augustine suggest that true happiness is rooted in something independent of objects or people. Though dissimilar in their notions of that actual root, each respective philosophy views the attaining of

Socrates believed that the greatest quality of man is examining himself and others, to try to grow and reach our utmost

According to the philosophy of happiness (14, 15, 16 & 17), Aristotle stated the factors that make happiness as good health, money, relationships and good moral behavior. Aristotle pointed out that happiness was the ultimate desire for human being leaving nothing more to be desired. The happiness is sought for its own sake unlike other things which are sought in order to achieve happiness. Aristotle understood that for an individual to be happy one must be of good morals and can suffer to achieve the greater happiness later in the long run. Many individuals believe that

In contradict to Hedonism, Socrates shares the same view as Thomas Aquinas, who believes only when one practices the most prominent faculty of being a human, which is the practice of wisdom (Aquninas, n.d.), then one can examine oneself and thus understand whether the things he does are meaningful or not. In addition, Socrates believes that when we actualize the faculties of reasoning and rational thinking to answer the abstract question like what is the meaning of our life. Our soul can then be opened to a new horizon and thus achieve happiness in doing things that means something for us. Since the pleasures that result from pursuing virtue and knowledge are of a higher quality than the pleasures resulting from satisfying mere animal desires, which make us human being unique and noble than the other animals. Therefore, only by going through the process of reasoning and thus examining ourselves with the question of how our life should be. Then we can give meaning to our life and thus pursuit the happiness we desire with the practices of

Aristotle, one of the greatest philosophers of all time created an idea that happiness is the ultimate end goal. This world renowned philosopher argues that exercising a fulfilling life will lead to happiness. Likewise, happiness is said to be the ultimate end goal of all activities in life. Basically, Aristotle portrays every activity as a subordinate to becoming happy. He argues that being self sufficient, and leading a fulfilling life will create happiness through virtue. A virtuous person is noble and possess the ability to rationalize. In order to be noble one must posses the ability to create equilibrium of the soul. That is, staying within the mean. Similar to the mean, Aristotle depicts

There are certain truths of the world that cannot be ignored or overlooked. Many philosophers have spent countless years discussing, debating and evaluating such truths. One such influential philosopher is Socrates. Born in Athens in 469 B.C.E, he spent most of his time at the marketplace and other public places engaging in dialogues about truths of life. Among many other things, he discussed virtue and happiness and how closely they are related. According to Socrates, virtue is absolutely necessary for perfect happiness because virtue brings a type of happiness that other things could never bring. In this paper, I will explain the aforementioned idea of Socrates on virtue and happiness and through evidence from Plato's Apology which is