Greek and Roman Philosophy

Essay # 105202

Literature > Greek and Roman
Philosophy > Ancient Greek

This paper studies the issue of Greek and Roman philosophy and the attempt to give meaning to life.

1,200 words () | 4 sources | MLA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that philosophy was created by the Greeks as a way of delving into many of the questions about life and the relationship of the individual to the rest of the world. The writer also explains that the philosopher asked about the meaning of life and offered answers to how that meaning could be found. The writer notes that one aspect of philosophical inquiry was intended to help understand the meaning of life and to explain the value of philosophical inquiry itself to understand the meaning of life. The writer concludes that philosophers ever since the beginnings of philosophy in the Greek world have considered how to give meaning to life and what aspects of life are most important in making that determination.

From the Paper:

"One of the key issues in philosophy is what constitutes a moral life, which entails questions of the meaning of happiness and its importance, the definition of moral character and its necessity, conflicts between the two elements, and the question of what other elements are necessary for living a good life.
"Happiness can be identified not as an element in living the good life but as the act of living the good life. Aristotle indicates this with reference to the issue of wisdom. For Aristotle, practical wisdom means knowledge concerning the good life and how to achieve it. In addition, for Aristotle the good life is the happy life, and everything that is good is good only as it leads to and is conducive to human happiness. Aristotle argues that not all ends are final ends, and some are the means to other ends. Yet there has to be a final end in sight or the process would be infinite and never reach the good, the chief good that is something final. There can be only one final end, and that is the end human beings are seeking. Identifying what this is requires a consideration of its nature and the nature of competing goals."

Sample of Sources Used:

Aristotle (1985). Terence Irwin (translator). Nicomachean Ethics. Indianapolis, Indiana: Hackett Publishing.
Ebenstein, W. & Ebenstein, A.O. (1991). Great Political Thinkers: Plato to the Present. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishes.
Montagu, A. (1971). Immortality, Religion, and Morals. New York: Hawthorn Books.
Plato (2002). M.A. Grube (translator). Five Dialogues. Indianapolis, Indiana: Hackett.