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幸福的伦理 (Ethics of Happiness)

根据亚里士多德,什么是幸福?

  • 幸福是人的终极标竿和存在的目的端。
  • 幸福不是享受或美德。它是美德的运动。
  • 一个人的幸福,实现在人的生命过后。因此,它是不是暂时的情况乃是人生的目标。
  • 幸福是人性的完善。因为人是理性的动物,所以人的幸福是靠着理论的活动。
  • 幸福取决于获取的品德。一个人在生活中显示勇气,慷慨,正义,友谊,和公民的美德。这些道德包括平衡在过剩和不足之间。
  • 幸福需要智慧的沉思,因为这是我们的理性的能力,最终实现。

Happiness 127

According to Aristotle, what is happiness?

  • Happiness is the ultimate end and purpose of human existence
  • Happiness is not pleasure, nor is it virtue. It is the exercise of virtue.
  • Happiness cannot be achieved until the end of one’s life. Hence it is a goal and not a temporary state.
  • Happiness is the perfection of human nature. Since man is a rational animal, human happiness depends on the exercise of his reason.
  • 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.
  • Happiness requires intellectual contemplation, for this is the ultimate realization of our rational capacities.

Aristotle: Pioneer of Happiness

Sentient beings should not suffer

There is a heated debate currently going on in India regarding the rights of women.

India’s Daughter, a highly controversial film, in which Leslie interviewed rapists to find out the thoughts of the men, may be banned in India.

You can see how the rapists and the lawyers justify the rape for reasons such as ‘Women are harmless domestic animals’, or ‘She is on the streets after 8:30 therefore she is a bad woman so I can rape her’.

In India, a baby boy is given a full glass of milk while a baby girl is only given half a glass of milk.

Society’s mindset need to change.

A good moral principle to follow is:
Setient beings should not suffer.

This can be derived from the Golden Rule:
Do to others what you would want them to do to you.

Golden_Rule

Matthew 7:12 New International Version (NIV)
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

If you do not want suffering to yourself, please do not cause suffering to other people.