The Happy Life reading --- SENECA

Question 1

what is the highest good in life?

Answer 1

in the pursuit of the four cardinal virtues of practical wisdom, temperance, justice, and courage
○ They are the only things that always do us good and can never be used for ill

• key to a serene life is the realization that some things are under our control and others are not

Question 2

Seneca’s seven commandments

Answer 2

1. I will look upon death or upon a comedy with the same expression of countenance
   2. I will despise riches when I have them as much as when I don’t
   3. I will view all lands as though they belong to me, and my own as though they belonged to all mankind
   4. Whatever I may possess, I will neither hoard it greedily nor squander it recklessly
   5. I will do nothing because of public opinion, but everything because of conscience
   6. I will be agreeable with my friends, gentle and mild to my foes; I will grant pardon before I am asked for it, and will meet the wishes of honourable men half-way
2. Whenever either Nature demands my breath again, or reason bids me dismiss it, I will quit this life, call all to witness that I have loved a good conscience, and good pursuits

Question 3

what are the keys to a happy life?

Answer 3

• Happy life depends on attainment of perfect reason
  ○ Never subject to impairment
• If not, then things that don’t pertain to us will have great influence over us

Question 4

what is the happy life? How do you get there?

Answer 4

What is the happy life?
* Peace of mind, lasting tranquility

How to be happy?
* Greatness of soul
* Resolutely clings to a good judgment just reached

How to reach?
* Get complete view of truth
REAAAAAAASON

Question 5

if you are not contented with only that which is honourable, then it means that you also desire:

Answer 5

Undisturbedness=can be attained! When mind is free from disturbance to contemplate universe

Pleasure=the good of cattle. IRRATIONAL AND DISHONOURABLE

Question 6

what is man’s primary art

Answer 6

virtue itself

○ But it ends in foulness bc it’s fastened to a “sluggish and flabby animal”

• While quiet would not be any benefit to the soul, it would relieve the soul of hindrances
• Pleasure actually destroys the soul and softens all its vigour

Question 7

why should one seek good health, rest, and freedom from pain?

Answer 7

not because they are goods, but because they are according to nature and because they will be acquired through the exercise of good judgement on my part

But what’s good in them?
The deliberate choice that one shows in regard to them

It is the ACTIONS that are honourable, not the actual things that we do

Question 8

views towards good health and stuff

Answer 8

• One who possess virtue cannot be unhappy, but…
  one cannot be perfectly happy if one lacks such natural gifts such as health or soundness of limb

Question 9

obstacles and virtue

Answer 9

• Obstacles take nothing away from virtue
  ○ No smaller, just shines with less brilliancy

Disasters have only the same power over virtue that a cloud has over the sun

A virtuous person is happy no matter what the material conditions

Question 10

stoic view of virtue

Answer 10

all or nothing! you can’t have an inbetween point—hot and cold and lukewarm water analogy

Virtue is so great a good that it’s not affected by shortness of life, pain, and bodily vexations

The duration of our lives doesn’t matter–not under our control anyway
It’s what we do with the days we have that counts