Universidad de Sta.

Isabel Vincentian Learning Module

College of Arts and Sciences, Teacher Education, Social Work and Music Science, Technology and Society
Teacher Education Program Ms. Ingrid M. Gunda, MAED

LESSON 7 The Good Life

OVERVIEW

Do you live a good life? Unquestionably, this question is a common human

concern. All is committed to living a healthy life. We strive to accomplish this purpose
by learning and working hard, not just for ourselves, but also for our loved ones and
the rest of humanity. Yet, what constitutes a happy and contented life varies from
person to person. Specific histories, perceptions, social contexts, and even the sense of
'good life' to tease out. Therefore, the possibility of a good life norm that resonates with
specific human perceptions is enticing.
This section incorporates ideas from the Nichomachean Ethics of Aristotle and
uses the same philosophical lens to explore problems in contemporary science and
technology. It discusses the essential Aristotelian notions of eudaimonia and arete, and
how it can be used to determine one 's relationship and interactions with science and
technology. As a result, the segment also tries to address the question, "Do we live a
good life?"

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this lesson, you will:

1. Explain the concept of the good life as posited by Aristotle.

2. Define good life in your own words;

3. Create innovative solutions to contemporary issues guided by ethical

standards leading to a good life.

LESSON 7: The Good Life 1

 Universidad de Sta. Isabel Vincentian Learning Module
College of Arts and Sciences, Teacher Education, Social Work and Music Science, Technology and Society
Teacher Education Program Ms. Ingrid M. Gunda, MAED

LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTION(SAQs)

Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics and the Good Life.

There are two aspects that need to be reflected in

order to address the questions, "Are we living the good
life?" First, what norm should be used to describe "the
good life?" Second, in the midst of scientific progress and
technological development, how can the ideal act as a
guide to living a good life?

The magician's Twin: C.S. Lewis and the Argument

Against Scientism, C.S. Lewis posited in the documentary
firm that "science must be driven by some ethical
foundation that science itself does not dictate." Aristotle's Nichomacheaan Ethics is one
such ethical foundation.

The most significant ancient Greek philosopher and scientist was Aristotle, who
lived from 384 to 322 BC. He was Plato's student, who was then Socrates' student. They
were considered, together, the 'Big Three of Greek Philosophy.'
The basic foundation of Aristotelian ethics, Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics,
consists of ten books. When he taught at the Lyceum, they were initially lecture notes
written on scrolls. The lecture notes are generally believed to have been collected by or
devoted to one of the sons of Aristotle, Nichomacus. Instead, it is seen that the work
was devoted to the father of Aristotle, who was of the same name.
The Nicomachean Ethics is a treatise on the nature of moral life and human
happiness based on the specific essence of human nature, abbreviated as NE or
sometimes EN, based on the Latin version of the name. The NE is especially helpful in
describing what a good life is.
Everyone has a description of what is good — getting a college degree, traveling
around the globe, thriving in a business venture, following a safe and active lifestyle, or
becoming a responsible parent. Nevertheless, even though everybody is trying to do
what is good. Two forms of good were posited by Aristotle. Aristotle clarified that each
action is aimed at some good. Some acts, however, are aimed at an instrumental good,
while some are aimed at an intrinsic good. He made it clear that the ultimate good is
better than the instrumental good for the latter, while the former is good in itself, as a
way to accomplish something else or some other goal.

LESSON 7: The Good Life 2

 Universidad de Sta. Isabel Vincentian Learning Module
College of Arts and Sciences, Teacher Education, Social Work and Music Science, Technology and Society
Teacher Education Program Ms. Ingrid M. Gunda, MAED

SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTION 1

Define good life in your own words?

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Eudaimonia: The Ultimate Good

What is the ultimate good, then? One might focus on some possible candidates
for the ultimate good on the basis of the comparison between two kinds of good.
One could assume that the ultimate
good is pleasure. One finds satisfaction in
the food they consume or in the
interactions in which they immerse
themselves. Yet, while enjoyment is an
essential human need, it cannot be the
greatest good. Second, it's transitory — it's
going through. One may have been
delighted with the food they had for lunch,
but after a while, he or she would be
hungry again or want something else.
Second, all facets of life are not encompassed by enjoyment. One may be delighted with
a travel opportunity, but that may not make him or her feel good about leaving, say, his
or her studies or the relationship with which he or she has struggled.
Others may think wealth is a possible candidate for the supreme good, but it
will prove otherwise by a criticism of wealth. In reality, many, if not most, are aimed at
being financially secure, at being wealthy, or at being able to afford a lavish life. It is
very common to hear people suggest, however, that they aspire to be wealthy to the
degree that it will help them accomplish certain other objectives. Elsewhere, stories of
people who have become very rich but remain, by and large, dissatisfied with the lives

LESSON 7: The Good Life 3

 Universidad de Sta. Isabel Vincentian Learning Module
College of Arts and Sciences, Teacher Education, Social Work and Music Science, Technology and Society
Teacher Education Program Ms. Ingrid M. Gunda, MAED

they lead are often widely heard. Wealth is only an intermediate good in this sense —
that is, only an instrumental good. It is not ultimately good because it is not self-
sufficient and does not preclude one from finding any 'greater' good for another.
Happiness is the greatest good, unlike happiness, money, fame, and honor. In
the sense of Aristotelian, happiness is 'doing well and doing well' (NE 1:4) Among the
Greeks, this is known as eudaimonia, from the root words eu, meaning good, and
daimon, meaning spirit. Combining the root words, eudaimonia means happiness or
wellbeing. More specifically, it is interpreted by others as human wealth or abundance.
Aristotle proposed two eudaimonia hallmarks, namely goodness and excess.
Eudaimonia: Uniquely Human?
Eudaimonia or happiness is unique to humans for it is a uniquely human function.
Aristotle 's definition of a tripartite soul as summarized in Table 1 reflects a nested
hierarchy of the soul's roles and behaviors, which is accomplished only by a rationally
directed existence. The soul's degrees and functions are nested, such the one that has a
higher soul degree has all the lower degrees. Thus, all living beings, such as plants,
animals, and humans, need nourishment and have the capacity to replicate at the
nutritional stage. Only animals and humans have the ability to shift and interpret at a
responsive level. Finally, only humans are capable of theoretical and functional
functions on a reasonable basis. The nutritive, sensitive, and logical degrees of the soul
are then possessed by humans. More significantly, only humans are capable of a
reason-guided existence. Since this is so, happiness is also a special human feature,
since it can only be attained by a life that is rationally driven.

Table 1. Aristotle’s Tripartite Soul

LESSON 7: The Good Life 4

 Universidad de Sta. Isabel Vincentian Learning Module
College of Arts and Sciences, Teacher Education, Social Work and Music Science, Technology and Society
Teacher Education Program Ms. Ingrid M. Gunda, MAED

Arete and Human Happiness

Eudaimonia is what
defines the good life. To live a
good life is to live a happy life.
For Aristotle, eudaimonia is only
possible by living a life of virtue.
Arete, Greek term, which
means “excellence of any kind”
and can also mean “moral
values”. A virtue is what makes
one function well. Aristotle
suggested two types of virtue:
intellectual virtue and moral
virtue.
Intellectual virtue or virtue of thought is achieved through education, time, and
experience. Wisdom, which governs ethical conduct, knowledge, which is obtained
through scientific endeavors and reflection, are main intellectual virtues. Through
formal and non-formal methods, wisdom and understanding are achieved. As well as
the knowledge and skills taught and learned in formal institutions, intellectual virtues
are gained by self-taught knowledge and skills.
Moral virtue or virtue of character is achieved through habitual practice.
Generosity, temperance, and courage are some primary moral principles. Aristotle
clarified that while the potential for intellectual virtue is inherent, only through
practice is it brought to completion. It is by being unselfish frequently that one learns
the virtue of kindness. The virtue of temperance is established by consistently resisting
and foregoing any inviting opportunity. It is by consistently showing the right behavior
and emotional reaction in the face of danger that the virtue of courage is created. Moral
virtue, by and large, is like a skill. Only by continuous practice is a skill learned.
Everyone is able to learn how to play the guitar because everyone has an intrinsic
potential for intellectual virtue, but not everyone acquires it because the ability to play
the instrument is established by only those who devote time and practice.
When one finds that eating too many fatty foods is bad for health, he or she
must make it a habit to stay away from this form of food because health helps to live
well to do well. If one feels that too much use of social media is harmful to human
relationships and efficiency, he or she must monitor his or her use of social media and
actively spend more time with friends, family, and work than on a virtual platform. If
one knows the tremendous environmental harm caused by plastic products, he or she

LESSON 7: The Good Life 5

 Universidad de Sta. Isabel Vincentian Learning Module
College of Arts and Sciences, Teacher Education, Social Work and Music Science, Technology and Society
Teacher Education Program Ms. Ingrid M. Gunda, MAED

must repeatedly renounce the next plastic object that he or she can do away with. And
the way he or she lives and what he or she does, positive relationship dynamics and a
stable atmosphere lead to one's well-being.
In order to attain eudaimonia, all intellectual virtue and moral virtue should be
in compliance with reason. For motives that are only for one's comfort, enjoyment, or
happiness, discrepancies with these virtues lead humans away from eudaimonia.
In how one lives and behaves, a virtue is destroyed by some excess and
deficiency. A balance is a necessity of virtue between two extremes. This equilibrium,
not in the sense of a geometric or arithmetic average, is a form of excess. Instead, in
each experience, it is a mean relative to the person, conditions, and the correct
emotional response. (NE 2:2; 2:6)
Consider courage's virtue. In the face of risk, courage was earlier described as
displaying the right action and emotional response. In order to resolve a specific
situation, the virtue of courage is ruined by an excess of the requisite emotional and
correct action. The vacuum of foolhardiness or rashness can be created by a person
who does not properly assess the danger and is fully without fear. Courage is also
ruined by the lack of emotion and proper action taken. He or she develops the vice of
cowardice when one overthinks of a looming danger that he or she becomes too fearful
and unable to act on the issue.

SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTION 2

Instruction: As a take – home task, inspect the packaging of a food item

that you regularly consume. Cut the part of the packaging that shows the
nutritional label and paste it on the space below. What sugar, disguised in
an unfamiliar term, is found on the label? Research on the definition and
effects of the hidden sugar you found on the table.

Paste the label here

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Hidden Sugar Found on the Label

LESSON 7: The Good Life 6

 Universidad de Sta. Isabel Vincentian Learning Module
College of Arts and Sciences, Teacher Education, Social Work and Music Science, Technology and Society
Teacher Education Program Ms. Ingrid M. Gunda, MAED

KEY POINTS

 An ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle, whose work ranges from natural

philosophy to logic and political theory, tried to clarify what good is.

 A treatise on the essence of moral life and human happiness is the Nicomachean
Ethics. According to Aristotle, there are two types of good that aim at some good
with each action. However, some actions are directed at an instrumental good,
while others are directed at an intrinsic good. He made it clear that for the
latter, the ultimate good is better than the instrumental good, while the former
is good in itself, as a means of achieving something else or some other objective.

 Happiness, unlike wealth, fame, and honor, is the ultimate good. In the
Aristotelian context, happiness is 'doing well and doing well'. This is referred to
as eudaimonia from the root words eu, meaning good, and daimon, meaning
spirit; combining the root words together, means happiness or well-being.

 Eudaimonia, or happiness, is unique to human beings because it is a unique

human feature. The concept of a tripartite soul by Aristotle describes a nested
hierarchy of the functions and actions of the soul, which is achieved by a
rationally guided life only.

 In order to achieve eudaimonia, justification should be in harmony with both

intellectual virtue and moral virtue. Discrepancies with these virtues lead
humans away from eudaimonia for purposes that are only for one's ease,
pleasure, or happiness.

LESSON 7: The Good Life 7

 Universidad de Sta. Isabel Vincentian Learning Module
College of Arts and Sciences, Teacher Education, Social Work and Music Science, Technology and Society
Teacher Education Program Ms. Ingrid M. Gunda, MAED

END OF LESSON ASSESSMENT

Name: _____________________________________________________________________ Score: _____________

Year & Section: ________________________________________________ Date: _________________________
Instruction: Read the procedure below.
Product/Performance: Tri-fold Physical & Wellness Brochure

Task: Create a 2-page tri-fold physical and wellness brochure about

Good Life.
Specific instructions:

➔ Using a long-sized bond paper, lay-out your physical and wellness

brochure.

➔ Top 1/3 page is for the title and graphical representation of your
title.
➔ On the inner first 1/3 page, write your own description of Good Life
and include a graphics, visual or photograph about your description.
➔ The inner 2/3 page is for the concept of Good Life posited by
Aristotle.
➔ The outer 2/3 page is for innovative solutions or recommendations
on how to have a good life but make sure you will follow an ethical
standard of achieving a good life. Indicate in this section the source
of your work.

➔ Be creative.
2/3
➔ Be guided by the visual instruction and rubric below
Concept of Good Life by Aristotle
1/3
This space is for own
description of Good
Life INNER PAGE

2/3
Innovative recommendations with
1/3 ethical standards on achieving a
good life
TITLE
GRAPHIC/PHOTO
By: Your name, OUTER PAGE
email address
Contact details

LESSON 7: The Good Life 8

 Universidad de Sta. Isabel Vincentian Learning Module
College of Arts and Sciences, Teacher Education, Social Work and Music Science, Technology and Society
Teacher Education Program Ms. Ingrid M. Gunda, MAED

Rubric for Brochure

Needs
Criteria Professional Adequate Unsatisfactory
weight
Improvement

 Demonstrates  Demonstrates  Demonstrates  Lacks

in depth understanding little understanding
understanding of of the topic understanding of of topic
topic  Employs topic  Reports only
Content 50%  Accurately research  Employs the most basic
utilizes researched information with research parts of the
information in the an adequate information with information
brochure degree of a fair degree of
accuracy accuracy
 Well organized  Content is  Content lacks  Unorganized
content organized organization content
 Attractive and well-  Format is  Format is  Hard to follow
designed format adequate difficult to follow  Message
 Clear and easily  Message is and poorly difficult to
understood message sufficiently organized understand;
Written  Computer generated understood  Message not tendency to
20% with strong visual  Computer clearly wander or
Presentation
appeal generated with understood ramble
acceptable eye  Computer  Handwritten or
appeal generated but computer
poorly designed generated with
little
organization or
skill
 Five sources used  Three sources  Two sources  Less than two
 Use of reliable used used sources used
sources  Sources have  Questionable  Little reliability
Research  Accurate analysis of some reliability reliability of of sources
15% research  Adequate sources  Inaccurate
Quality
analysis of  Basic information
research information with
questionable
accuracy
 Imaginative; original  Creativity is  Little creativity  No originality
 Use of graphics acceptable used  Graphics do
Visual make the message  Use of graphics  Poor selection not tie in with
15%
Appeal “come alive” adequate to of graphics the message
present
message
Source: Texas Education Agency (2006). Rubric for Brochure. cte.sfasu.edu/wwp-content/uploads/2012/01/Brochure.doc

LESSON 7: The Good Life 9

 Universidad de Sta. Isabel Vincentian Learning Module
College of Arts and Sciences, Teacher Education, Social Work and Music Science, Technology and Society
Teacher Education Program Ms. Ingrid M. Gunda, MAED

REFERENCES

Books and Online Sources

Qunito, E.J., Nieva, A. (2019). Science, Technology and Society. C & E Publishing,
Inc. Quezon City.
Prieto, N., Vega, V., Felipe, E., Meneses, J. (2019). Science, Technology and Society.
Lorimar Publishing Inc. Quzon City.
McNamara Sr. D.J., Valverde, V.M., Beleno III, R. (2018). Science, Technology, and
Society. C & E Publishing, Inc. Quezon City.

Photographs
Optimize. (2020). Aritotle’s Image. https://www.optimize.me/authors/aristotle/
Workflexin.in. (2018). How to “Live” the Good Life Image. https://www.workflexi.
in/blog/how-to-live-the-good-life/
Londonhuawiki. (2017). Aristotle’s Ethics. https://londonhuawiki.wpi.edu/index.
php/Aristotle%27s_Ethics
Gippy. (n.d.). Happy Life Sticker. https://giphy.com/stickers/happy-joy-positive-
WS67EzMGaFwlBbQVhK
Google Image. (2020). Eudaimonia Clip Art. https://www.facebook.com/usf.
eudaimonia

LESSON 7: The Good Life 10