Abstract

ROBINSON, Thomas M.  and  LEFKA, Aikaterini. The Greeks and the Good Life: a dialogue. arete [online]. 2009, vol.21, n.2, pp.291-300. ISSN 1016-913X.

The article sets out to examine the notion of the classical Greek concept of the "good life" (eu zen, eudaimonia) as the primary practical objective of human existence, and to offer a fresh view of the current opposition between teleological and non-teleological theories on the matter, leading to a re-evaluation of the contributions to the topic made by ancient philosophy. The form of the article is original: the authors have created a dialogue between two fictional characters, each representing a different philosophical approach. In so doing they wished to pay tribute to the work of Socrates and Plato in the realm of ethics, and at the same time to underline the continuing relevance of many features of that work to contemporary studies in moral philosophy.

Keywords : Aristotle; eudaimonia; eu zen; ethics; good life; greek philosophy; happiness; Plato; Socrates; virtue.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )