Philosophy mid-term 2

Question 1

Readings: Martha Nussbaum -Happy warrior

Answer 1

True happiness comes from being a good person and living a life of meaning, not just from feeling good.
examples: Being happy isn’t just about enjoying life; its about making moral choices, like being fair and kind.

Question 2

Readings: Matthieu Ricard -Buddhist Happiness

Answer 2

Happiness isn’t something you stumble upon–it’s a skill you can practice and improve.
Examples: Real happiness comes from a peaceful mind, not from things like money, possessions, or temporary pleasures
you can train you mind for happiness by replacing negative emotions with positive ones, freeing your emotions instead of hiding them and using your emotions as tools

Question 3

Readings: The rice sutra and satideva’s verses

Answer 3

It uses rice farming as a symbol: just life rice depends on soil, water, and people to grow, all life depends on relationships and teamwork
The message: We aren’t separate from the world—we are part of it, so we should care for others
Santideva’s Verses:
To be free, we must understand our emotions and see them for what they are—temporary and not truly part of us
Key lesson: Negative emotions like anger are not strong by themselves–we give them power by letting them control us

Question 4

Readings: A. Peetush - The ethics of interconnectedness

Answer 4

You are not a separate person — your identity comes from your connections with others and the world
When you see yourself as part of a bigger system, ethical behaviour – like kindness and fairness comes naturally