The Greek philosopher Aristotle distinguished between “mere life” and “the good life.” Mere life involves the fulfillment of necessities like food and shelter. The good life, on the other hand, involves the thoughts and deeds, ideas and actions, that express our highest ideals: life as we would like to live it. Not food as nourishment, but food as delight and pleasure; not shelter as mere protection from the elements, but shelter as artistic expression.
For some, the definition of the good life is the task of philosophy and theology. For others, it involves politics and economics, psychology and sociology. More recently, cognitive and neuroscientists have taken up this topic.
At all times and in all places, the definition of the good life has been controversial. For example, the Declaration of Independence proclaims the “self-evident” truth that “all men” have an inalienable right to “the pursuit of happiness.” But what is happiness? How do we pursue it? How should we pursue it? And are there times we should refuse to make the pursuit of happiness our life goal?
Hear from some of UC San Diego’s finest teachers and scholars as they explore what the good life means to them. Programs available now with new programs through April.