Life, Liberty, And The Pursuit Of Happiness - 902 Words

As a citizen of the United States, you are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This is a VIRTUE that everyone embarks on; however, what if you were told you were doing it wrong? Aristotle begins his STORY stating that â€Å"EVERY art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and pursuit, is thought to aim at some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim.† He goes on to say then, because these ends at which we aim are only subordinate goods, there must be a supreme form of good in which these subordinate ones lead us, which is the highest end. Everyone could agree that happiness is this â€Å"final end† we reach for; however, people fail to understand the true meaning of happiness, consequently, never truly achieving it. With this being an issue and also holding great importance to Aristotle, he wrote a whole book about it: Nicomachean Ethics. Happiness is often mistakenly identified as state of mind or being such as _____; this UNDERSTANDING causes the perception of happiness to be subjective. Someone who is rich may find happiness in more money; a scholar, exemplary grades; and a hopeless romantic, love. The issue Aristotle finds with these subjective understandings of happiness is that, just as easily as they are given, they can be taken away. I agree with this perspective because things such as pleasure and honor are temporary and unstable in that they aren’t capable of ever providing you with what youShow MoreRelatedLife, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness789 Words   |  4 Pagesshould declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We reaffirm today these truths to self-evident, that all people are created equal, that they are endowed by creation with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. - That these rights are secured by Governments instituted among Men and deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, - And when Government has become destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alterRead MoreLife, Liberty, The Pursuit Of Happiness1852 Words   |  8 Pages Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness; this is one prime reasons why America is so great. Very few places can you go and get what America has to offer. ‘Of, relating to, or characteristic of the United States or its inhabitants†, this is the definition of ‘American’ according to Google. Why is this ‘relevant’, you might ask? Lets take a look back, Apollo 13 and Argo films showed just what its like to represent America, and embodied what the American dream is made of, and what it is like to comeRead MoreLife, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness2397 Words   |  10 Pages Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. These are the three unalienable rights that, as per the Declaration of Independence, are granted to all humans and which governments exist to protect. The United States of America is a land of opportunity and success, the land of the free. It is in this country where these ideals are upheld and followed by every citizen. Everyone hopes for success and prosperity in life, and achieving these aspirations through hard work is what is known as the AmericanRead MoreLife, Liberty And The Pursuit Of Happiness1900 Words   |  8 PagesLife, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These are the three rights granted to every American, however, this did not seem to apply to the poor during the Gilded Age. The poor lacked opportunities to climb the ladder of social class to escape poverty, and the wealth of America was so concentrated in an individual few that one man, J.P. Morgan, was able to end the Financial Panic of 1893, preventing an economic dep ression. The rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer. The disparityRead MoreEssay on Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness620 Words   |  3 Pagesthe â€Å"unalienable rights† of the American people. Among these are â€Å"Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.† Probably one of the most famous lines in American history, I have chosen to focus on this phrase and what those three things might have meant to Thomas Jefferson and the other Founding Fathers as they prepared this document, as well as what they mean to us today. First, Jefferson states that every man has the right to life. This is a pretty basic concept, but at the time the King wasRead MoreSecurity For Liberty : Freedom Of Life, Liberty And Pursuit Of Happiness1101 Words   |  5 PagesSecurity for Liberty For the sake of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, American citizens crumple up their own desires and follow laws such as the speed limit and paying taxes. These laws are given by the government, created by citizens to protect all residences. After all, one would give up a few priorities for the name of common good too, right? But there is a borderline between what an individual should and shouldn’t give up. For example, privacy rights. In most cases, people would claimRead MoreFalse Truths, Life, Liberty, And The Pursuit Of Happiness1538 Words   |  7 Pages False Truths Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The motto and the foundation of American democracy. If life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are the key to a long and stable governing power, then, would non-vitality, imprisonment, and censorship do the same? George Orwell’s, 1984, a bleak, yet compelling novel answers this question. In this dystopian version of 1984, asides from discos and neon leggings, Oceania, a mega-continentRead MoreThe American Dream, Life, Liberty, And The Pursuit Of Happiness915 Words   |  4 Pages The American Dream, â€Å"Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness,† is a reason why my parents migrated from Yemen to United States of America in the late 70’s and early 80’s. My father was a hard working citizen, who spent little time at home and iced his back and feet when he did; he endured strenuous work before retiring from the railroad. My mother had the difficult duty to raise a boy basketball team and two daughters . My parents have always taught us, that if you want something, you workRead MoreThe Declaration Of Independence : The Rights Of Life, Liberty, And The Pursuit Of Happiness854 Words   |  4 Pagesendowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.† Many groups of Americans such as African Americans, Native Americans, and women have been denied the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – which is why the phrase â€Å"all men are created equal† is a phrase that has been used loosely, as it was often contradicted throughout history. Liberty is the power to freely do and chose what one wants to do. As mentioned beforeRead MoreEveryone Has the Right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness876 Words   |  4 PagesRights laid out the liberties and rights of its citizens. We are allowed to speak badly about our government. We are able to protest when we feel we have been w ronged or we want something changed. We can bear firearms freely. We have the right against being detained without a speedy trial. We have the right not to self-incriminate ourselves. We have the to right to vote for our government leaders. Most or all of these rights we often take for granted. I would not know a life where I could not speak