The Best Things in Life

Building a Good Life

Life’s most important decisions require tough choices. Some decisions combine practical and philosophical concerns, such as deciding whether to work after college or volunteer abroad, or whether to stay married for the kids’ sake or to get divorced for your happiness. To choose the right course, you must weigh all factors and determine what would make your life good or bad. Philosophers disagree on what encompasses a good life. Thomas Hobbes believed the best life comes from getting the most of what you want. Epicurus and others from his school of thinking prioritized pleasure; Socrates and his comrades chose knowledge, while diverse philosophers rank “moral virtue,” creativity or religious dedication as most important. All these varied priorities concern what is intrinsically good. Two related ideas prevail: Fundamental good exists, as do different paths to a good life. Still, some lives will have more worth than others, based on what has ultimate value.

Measures of Pleasure

Pleasure – also known as contentment, enjoyment and happiness – comes with a variety of commingling sensations. Pleasure does not exist in a pure form, despite the...