Ethics, Happiness, and the Good Life

Ethics, happiness, and the good life are closely intertwined concepts philosophers have studied for centuries. Ethics provides a framework for making moral decisions and determining right and wrong. Besides, happiness is a subjective experience of well-being, and the good life is a concept that encompasses a fulfilling and meaningful existence. These concepts are interconnected, as ethical behavior and decision-making can contribute to happiness and the good life. Philosophers and psychologists define the “good life” as being true to yourself, feeling happy and engaged in your work and life (Sutton, 2020). PHI FPX 2000 Assessment 1 Ethics, Happiness, and the Good Life

Definition of Happiness and a Well-Lived Life or the Good Life

My happiness and the good life are due to moral development and building healthy relationships with others. Happiness for me is experiencing multifaceted emotions that interconnect with well-being and life. Happiness is a positive emotional state, and it is driven by individual pleasure, contentment towards circumstances, and life satisfaction. However, happiness is more than just a feeling; it is also a state of well-being that encompasses a sense of purpose, meaning, and fulfillment. Happiness can be influenced by factors such as our relationships with others, our sense of accomplishment and achievement, physical health, and our overall perception of life. For instance, happiness is meeting family and friends after a long time. Achieving health goals and well-being is another facet of happiness. 

Utilitarianism Ethical Theory

  This ethical theory deals with the ethical values regarding any action. Utilitarianism identifies actions by their ability to maximize happiness and sense of joy for the individuals. According to the ethical theory, an action is morally right if it creates a feeling of joy and happiness for many people, and it is morally wrong if it cannot lead to happiness. Utilitarianism, as a theory of ethics, provides a clear way to evaluate actions’ moral worth by focusing on happiness and human life satisfaction (Häyry, 2020).

Core Values and Their Relationship to the Definition of “the Good Life”

Personal core values are the fundamental beliefs and principles that guide and motivate an individual’s attitudes, behaviors, and decisions. They serve as a moral compass and a framework for making choices and setting priorities in various aspects of life, such as personal relationships, careers, and society. Core values include ethics, autonomy, respect, empathy, fairness, loyalty, and security. This helps to shape an individual’s identity and provides a sense of purpose and meaning in life.

There is a need to address the relationship between values that individuals or groups exhibit towards life experiences. As mentioned, the good life comes from human well-being and building loving relationships with others like family members and friends. In this regard, core values focus on accomplishing the good life. Human well-being, respect, health, autonomy, friendship, security, and loyalty are core values that greatly impact life satisfaction and the good (Steckermeier, 2020).

PHI FPX 2000 Assessment 1 Ethics, Happiness, and the Good Life

For instance, if an individual sets his/her life values such as well-being, autonomy, security, and respect, he/she alternatively accomplishes desired life by building healthy relationships and following ethical guidelines per the personal definition of the good life. Thus, core values greatly impact individuals’ perception of the good life.

Happiness is a feeling of more positive emotions. Happiness mostly depends on your feelings, but it is not the same as feeling good. Being happy is connected to good work, good relationships, and health. Happy people feel calm, control their emotions, and handle problems better (Bieda et al., 2019). For instance, individuals value building healthy relationships with others like family and friends, then feel happy and satisfied by spending quality time with family and friends. 

The Most Important Personal Value

It is considered that building healthy relationships and moral development brings good life. Autonomy and responsibility are the core values that provide me insight into others’ right to make decisions. Autonomy, or control over one’s actions, is accepting and respecting others’ choices. At its core, autonomy is related to welfare, satisfaction of life and positive emotions of an individual. This value benefits me to shape my moral values by allowing me to interact with different people around me. Through interaction, this value helps me build healthy relationships that interconnect with my definition of the good life. In general, having a sense of autonomy is crucial for developing successful relationships since it gives people power over their behavior, decisions, and lives. (Steckermeier, 2020).

Responsibility means caring for others dependent on you. This core value is also important because life involves different responsibilities (Juliebdo, 2018). This will help to make a balance between relationships. A higher degree of autonomy also makes life more satisfying. There will be no conflict in my core values because both autonomy and responsibility maintain a balance between obligation and individual freedom. 

PHI FPX 2000 Assessment 1 Ethics, Happiness, and the Good Life

By accepting others’ choices and taking responsibility, I experienced development in my moral values that led to life satisfaction. I seek quality time with my family, friends, and community members. My good life gives me happiness and fosters good relations. The core values of autonomy and responsibility shape my self-happiness and social practices. Responsibility helps to improve moral development. That is the definition of the good life. In this regard, I believe that respecting my own choices, self-happiness, and life satisfaction can guide me to respect others’ autonomy and help to take responsibility. A study on migrant students was conducted, which found that students in the new environment required a sense of autonomy that helped them to adjust and by being able to make decisions that best align with their life goals. This automatically brings happiness and high satisfaction in life (Adriyati & Hatiningsih, 2019). For example, autonomy helps to experience positive emotions such as joy, power of decision-making, contentment, and excitement, and less likely to experience negative emotions such as sadness, anxiety, and stress.

Ethical Obligation to Others Related to the Definition of Happiness and Good Life

Ethical obligations towards others greatly impact the definition of the good life. Spending life by following ethical obligations can enhance my life satisfaction and self-happiness. Ethical obligations include respecting their rights and dignity, promoting their well-being, and avoiding harm. Human rights and dignity are ethical values directly linked to my definition of happiness and the good life. Human rights and dignity rely on a person’s values, actions, and worth living status, which is the foundation of ethical obligation (Łuków, 2018). 

Treating others respectfully and with dignity is essential for fostering healthy relationships and promoting moral development. I realized that respecting others is necessary, but we cannot give others anything unless we have that value for ourselves. Respect for others is in my core values. Furthermore, when I follow my values, it makes me happy. Thus, my notion of happiness is tied to the moral duty to care for others. . When we treat others with respect and dignity, we create healthy relationships and an environment of trust that contribute to my definition of the good life. By prioritizing respect, dignity, and ethical behavior, we can create a more positive and fulfilling life for ourselves and those around us. People feel a sense of moral fulfillment and satisfaction when they uphold their ethical duties to others, which improves their general well-being and happiness.

PHI FPX 2000 Assessment 1 Ethics, Happiness, and the Good Life

One way to understand human dignity is to view it as the creation of human well-being. This means that human dignity aims to create conditions in which every individual has the opportunity to experience individualistic self-enlightenment, experiencing happiness, and life satisfaction (Ikuenobe, 2018). 

Conclusion

Core values are the fundamental beliefs, principles, and philosophies that guide and motivate an individual’s attitudes, behaviors, and decisions. Moreover, when individuals live a life guided by ethical principles and values, they are more likely to create meaningful relationships with others, build trust and respect, and foster a sense of community and belonging. These factors are all important components of a fulfilling life and can contribute to an individual’s happiness and the Good Life.

References

Adriyati, P., & Hatiningsih, N. (2019). The relationship between autonomy and life satisfaction of migrant students.  Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/acpch-18.2019.65 

Bieda, A., Hirschfeld, G., Schönfeld, P., Brailovskaia, J., Lin, M., & Margraf, J. (2019). Happiness, life satisfaction, and positive mental health: Investigating reciprocal effects over four years in a Chinese student sample. Journal of Research in Personality, 78, 198–209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2018.11.012 

Häyry, M. (2020). Just better utilitarianism. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, 30(2), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0963180120000882 

Ikuenobe, P. (2018). Human rights, personhood, dignity, and African communalism. Journal of Human Rights, 17(5), 589–604. https://doi.org/10.1080/14754835.2018.1533455 

Juliebdo. (2018, July 21). Responsibility core value on and off the golf course – First Tee – Silicon Valley. First Tee – Silicon Valley. https://firstteesiliconvalley.org/responsibility-core-value-on-and-off-the-golf-course/#:~:text=As%20one%20of%20The%20Nine,with%20the%20pace%20of%20play. 

Łuków, P. (2018). A difficult legacy: Human dignity as the founding value of human rights. Human Rights Review, 19(3), 313–329. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12142-018-0500-z 

Steckermeier, L. C. (2020). The value of autonomy for the good life: An empirical investigation of autonomy and life satisfaction in Europe. Social Indicators Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-020-02565-8 

Sutton, A. (2020). Living the good life: A meta-analysis of authenticity, well-being, and engagement. Personality and Individual Differences, 153, 109645. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.109645