Synthesis essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Synthesis - Essay Example However, some people never get to experience true happiness and that is hwy the constitution of the United States of America includes in its bill of rights â€Å"†¦the pursuit of happiness.† This shows that happiness is not just a guaranteed good feeling but a positive feeling that one must strive for. In my opinion, happiness is a positive feeling just as most people believe. Happiness comes from within an individual whenever he or she chooses to let that feeling in. however, I also believe that situations do really influence the sense of happiness that a person feels. Negative turn of events and misfortunes do really kill the feeling of happiness in most people if not all. A good example is the lost of a loved one. In as much as some people may believe in eternal happiness in the case of death, many people would attest to the fact that losing a close family member or friend does not bring any happiness at all. I also believe that happiness is a lasting good feeling rather than just a felling of short term satisfaction. From the lecture notes, I got to learn of the different philosophical beliefs as to the attainment of happiness. Socrates believed that human actions were aimed at achieving true happiness. Therefore, happiness was the reason behind the acts of man, whether right or wrong. According to Socrates, happiness is â€Å"a state of living well in peace, mindfulness, and joy† (Kohn & Michael 25) From the class notes also, I found out that other philosophers such as Plato, believed in the term pleasure rather than happiness. Pleasure took the form of some being higher than others, such as appetitive and sexual pleasure being regarded as the lowest of pleasures due to their constant reoccurrence (Kohn & Michael 48). Plato analyzed happiness â€Å"in terms of the hierarchy of pleasures and the categories of the soul.† Other philosophers that I came to learn of, such as Aristotle, believed that happiness only results from positive habits. Having