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One of the oldest philosophical questions that keep resonating throughout man's endeavors and struggles is this, that "What is THE GOOD LIFE?" The question has, of course, been posed in several different ways without losing its core inquiry form, "How should one live well?"

It is quite not simple as it looks. Philosophy quite marvel itself with the practice of discharging obscure complexities from seemingly simple task or questions, one of which is the question posed above, “What does it mean to LIVE WELL?”

Well, it may amaze you to know that slogan like “live well,” or “living good,” could be understood in at least three ways.

1. The Moral Life

One essentially reason why we express the word “good” is to identify with an idea, an act or a saying that is morally sound. Thus, when we refer to a person to having lived “good”, we could simply be saying that such individual is a honest, kind, empathic, loyal, helpful, principled, and the list goes on and on. They are said to possess all the essential good virtues, and practiced them too. They are selfless, thus devoting large number of their time to chores that benefit others.

This moral notion of “The Good Life” has an ample number of advocates, with Socrates and Plato giving this model priority over all other purportedly “Good Life”, for instance wealth and power.

In his dialogue, Gorgias, Plato explained how his predecessor, Socrates valued this position. He suggests that it is healthier to suffer wrong than being the perpetrator. He maintained that a good man who has his properties confisticated due to the good he has performed is better-off than a treacherous individual who escapes hurt by performing more act of corruption. And in his masterwork, The Republic, Plato takes his argument even to further level. According to Plato, a moral person takes pleasure in the inner harmony that accompanies with the virtue, while a wicked person, irrespective of how rich and powerful he is, is basically uncomfortable or ill at ease with himself.

Religious doctrines also regard “The Good Life” in the moral perspective, as a life lived in accordance with God’s plan or demand. Such persons are regarded as pious and shall be rewarded for the acts of piety.

2. The Pleasurable Life

The first espousal for this concept was witnessed in the person of the ancient Greek philosopher, Epicurus, who was the first assert, rather bluntly, that a good life is one lived with pleasurable experience. Pleasure, they say, is is the good… enjoyable and fun! The believe that pleasure is what makes life worth living is known as hedonism.

Now, to be a hedonist, in today’s concept, is to be one devoted to such pleasurable activities that majority would normally described as the “lower pleasures”, such as food, drink, sex or sensual treats.

This very concept prevails in the Western culture which is evident in the everyday speeches. Where living “The Good Live” would simply refer to someone benefiting greatly from lots of recreational pleasurable indulgences, such as partying, drinking, good food, adventurous endeavors among others.

3. The Fulfilled Life

Well, another noble Greek philosopher paved path to this philosophical thought that to claim to have lived a “Good Life” is to actually be happy with one’s self. According to Aristotle, happiness is the goal of all individual – an end in itself and not a means to another end. We regard and value money simply because it makes it possible for us to purchase and own a lot of things we want. Happiness, for its own sake, is the good of all individual. Thus, for the great thinker, “The Good Life” is the fulfilled or happy life. But what exactly could this mean?

Many of us today mostly regard a happy person as someone who is flourishing in a positive state of mind. However, in my opinion, this concept of happiness is quite faulty. Let us imagine a cruel tyrant whose source of happiness is the gratification of his wicked desire? Could such person be regarded as to have “lived well”? That’s certainly “NO”. or let us examine the state of a drunkard or a pot smoker who sits all day doing nothing but indulging in these routines. Could they also be regarded to have “lived well”? Well, Aristotle would have said no. According to Aristotle, for a person to live a good life, such individual must be morally good (in accordance with Socrates and Plato), must be someone who also involves himself in some pleasurable encounters (in accordance with epicurus), and, the most of all, such an individual must fulfill the following conditions.

• Virtuous,
• Healthy,
• Prosperity,
• Respectful and be Respected, and
• Good Luck

A person, according to Aristotle, is considered to have lived a Good and Fulfilled life is he considers himself a recipient of the above listed conditions.

Well, either view you decide to take upon the concept of “Good Life”, it is essential that one considers that a truly good life is one that only the person can affirm. It is a feeling that comes only from within, and not one that can be held by the light to be examined by it true colors. Whatever we do, let us endeavor to shine the light from within, for this, in my own opinion, is where “The Good Life” abides.

Thank you very much for reading through to this very point.

Have a blessed day.