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10.04.2022
Writing essays is a large component of studying philosophy. Much like the subject itself, philosophy essays are a blueprint for thought.
A common topic of discussion in philosophy and moral philosophy is the concept of the good life. This article will discuss the basic mechanics of how a philosophy essay should be written and then apply these mechanics to a typical good life essay as an example.
Preparing to Write Good Life Philosophy Essay
Before you begin to write a philosophy essay, you must first do all the necessary reading on the topic beforehand. In most cases, you need to present at least three main arguments for the topic at hand. You will need to be able to
- state these arguments accurately
- include direct quotes, if possible, from relevant philosophers
- cite the correct philosopher
- have a thorough understanding of what these arguments are conveying
- formulate criticisms and comparisons of these arguments
For a good life essay, we suggest that you read up on the essential Greek philosophers who have weighed in on the good life concept, such as:
- Socrates and his disciple Plato and their high prioritizing of virtuosity. Their school of thought is centered around living a Moral Life. Though they also emphasized the quest for knowledge and understanding of one's self as part of human nature - "the unexamined life is a life not worth living".
- Epicurus was the initial ancient Greek philosopher to define living a good life as living a Life of Pleasure or having a hedonistic lifestyle.
- Aristotle and his defined checklist for a Fulfilled Life to be deemed a person's life well-lived. This checklist can be found in his work The Nicomachean Ethics, written in 350 BCE in Athens. Here he also highlights the idea that pursuits should not just be about practicality but for our own sake. In other words, the endeavors we undertake in life should be what we want to do and not just what we have to do.
- Another extremely influential philosopher you could research is Nietzsche, who has also pondered over the good life. He believed a person's well-being relies on a meaningful life which he defines unsurprisingly using his famous God is Dead perspective. His views juxtapose the emphasis on morality and put forward the case that morality is a counter-productive way of life. Priority for Nietzsche is human life in pursuit of individual excellence and acknowledged because our values can only be subjectively evaluated, the meaning of life was also subjective.
Remember to always use reputable sources such as textbooks from the library or published ebooks and research papers and articles from Google scholar.
Create a Logical Structure
A philosophy essay is generally an argumentative essay. The idea is to present an overall stance that answers the philosophical question and demonstrating a clear defense of your stance via a well-informed discussion and analysis of existing theories and arguments on the subject matter.
By looking at the point-form outline, you will know exactly when and where each argument will be introduced in the essay and spot any structural issues or flaws in your argument more easily.
Start with an Introduction
The introduction should give a basic definition of the topic proposed in the question and give a structural overview of the essay.
For a good life essay, you will typically aim to answer the question "what is the good life?" as a starting point. Some examples are:
- The definition of the good life in philosophy has been argued by many since ancient times. The two primary yet somewhat opposing schools of thought center around one unifying concept – happiness. To define a good life is to define the subjective ideas of what it means to be happy. For some, it may mean possessing material wealth and luxuries, whereas, for others, it could mean immeasurable wealth, such as having a life filled with love, meaning, or purpose. But is it reductionist to simply state that a conception of the good life is equivalent to a happy life?
- The good life is a term that conceptualizes the ideal conditions which One may consider to be "good". There are many arguments proposed for what it means to truly live a good life. One of these arguments is by the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus. In his argument, he states that a life of pleasure is a good life and that we should seek experiences that are indulgent and bring enjoyment, albeit in moderation.
Give a Thesis Statement
This is a statement that directly answers the question and gives the stance or position you will take throughout the essay. It is the statement to be debated, and you will use the main body of the essay to prove your case for it.
For a Good Life essay, examples are:
- In this essay, I will justify that a life of morality is a better choice than a life of pleasure for life philosophy by examining the arguments posed by Socrates and Plato and explaining why I am in agreement with them.
- I believe that the good kind of life is a life of pleasure. In this essay, I will elaborate on my position by delving into various supporting arguments and deconstructing the criticisms against these arguments.
- This essay aims to refute Nietzsche's argument for a good life by proving that asceticism is necessary.
Always give a brief summary of how you will proceed to justify your thesis/position.
For expository essays, the thesis statement is just the objective of the article. So for a good life expository essay, an example would be:
- In this essay, I will be discussing various arguments on the good life concept and consider their strengths and weaknesses.
It is important to define technical or ambiguous terminology used in your thesis before stating the thesis statement to ensure the reader has full understanding. Sometimes, defining these terms is half of the exercise, and therefore a lot of your grade will depend on how well you define these terms. A clear and accurate definition without omission will be evidence of understanding. An example is as follows:
- A major component of Nietzsche's argument is his opposition to asceticism. Asceticism is the act of self-discipline from indulgent behaviors. His belief that self-denial will cause us to sacrifice individual development, excellence, and nobility is flawed. This essay aims to refute Nietzsche's argument by proving that asceticism is necessary for individual lives.
Critically Evaluate Theories, Concepts, and Arguments
This is done in the main body of the text. For every theory, concept or argument you introduce, you must be prepared to evaluate them by discussing not only the strengths but also the weaknesses.
From your research notes or your own opinions, you need to present:
- the strength of the theory or arguments and the supporting reasoning provided by the philosopher
- the logical justification that was provided by other philosophers or yourself
- criticisms by other philosophers or yourself and why they make sense or why they are not valid
- how the philosopher responded to these criticisms
Remember to always provide a full exposition and definitions of every new theory, concept, or argument first before launching into the evaluation.
For a good life essay, an example could be:
Although it is intuitive to agree that having moral virtue is synonymous with being good, there are various ways in which it could also be considered a hindrance to living a good life. Therefore, being a good man or woman does not guarantee you to live a good life. Much of morality is focused on sacrificing the self for "the greater good" or for other human beings. By such self-sacrifice, you may experience negative impacts that impede on the individual's happiness. One could argue that if you have taken action to reduce your happiness in your own life for the sake of being virtuous, are you then still living a good life? Self-professed amoralist Nietzsche would be inclined to answer no, as evidenced by his opposition against asceticism.
Give a Thorough Conclusion
Discuss the impacts and limits of how you defended your decision, but the focus should be on how you established your points. You may wish to make a closing statement that declares your position to be correct if you felt you have confidently proved it or leave things more open-ended with a final pondering.
For a good life essay, an example could be:
In conclusion, the major philosophers mentioned in this essay have all agreed upon the intrinsic necessity for virtuosity and eudaimonia, which is the Ancient Greek word for happiness. Only by fully realizing these two core needs, can one deem to have lived a good life. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle have highlighted that material wealth should be of a lesser priority than that of moral and intellectual virtues. They have also pointed out that happiness is acquired through the freedom to pursue activities by choice and not a necessity. We must also have the freedom to make our own decisions and have the ability to reason.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this article has given you plenty of ideas to jump-start your philosophy essay on the good life concept. This framework for philosophy essay writing can be applied to any other topic with relevant adjustments.
Check out our other web pages for more essay help and essay editing. Alternatively, you may wish to use our proofreading services for polishing and perfecting your essay to give you that extra grade boost!
