Week 3 blog

I really enjoyed this weeks readings, Aristotle’s The Nicomachean Ethics stood out to me the most. His first quote in the opening paragraph explained, “ every craft in every investigation, and likewise, every action and decision, seems to aim at some good; hence the good has been well described as that at which everything aims.” This grabbed my attention because I realized it’s extremely accurate. I feel like people never think about the creators original thoughts and intentions behind the creation. Everyone’s thoughts or actions are aimed at achieving some goal that would possibly benefit themselves or others, and inherently has good intentions behind it. This quote can also be applied to people attempting to live a good life. Now, everyone’s idea on what a good life looks like is very individualistic, some people may see this as having a successful career where others might see it as them raising a large family with a loving significant other. yet their thoughts, actions, and decisions are all aimed at achieving some good in their lives.

In Epictetus the Enchiridion, it explains that stoics think we should be freed from our counterproductive emotions; stating, “ once we are freed from counterproductive, desires and emotions, stoics believe, we can live in accord with the underlying order and reason of nature. Such a life is characterized by equanimity and inner peace.” I don’t entirely agree with this mindset, I believe emotions are a large part of what makes us human. The ability to experience and feel sadness, anger, joy, etc. allows humans to connect to one another. I believe all emotions serve a purpose, so there is no true “counterproductive emotion”.