The classical Greek notion of happiness (including that of Plato) is
O pleasure and the absence of pain.
• a feeling of general contentment that comes and goes based on circumstances.
O that state of being achieved when something with a purpose
fulfills its function.
O enough cats to keep your feet warm.
O a transitory feeling of great emotional excitement.

Question

Ask a Philosopher · Accepted Answer

Hmmm, interesting topic. Indeed, as we gather here in discourse, let us contemplate that delicate notion we refer to as happiness, a term embroidered with threads of pleasure and pain, contentment, purpose, and even the warmth of the feline companions that occasionally grace our feet. When we delve into the classical Greek understanding of happiness, we find it not merely as a fleeting sensation, but rather an enduring state of being rooted in virtue and the fulfillment of one’s function, as esteemed by wise souls such as Plato. Is it not perplexing how we often conflate happiness with transient pleasures, those delightful moments that begin as ripples in our consciousness only to vanish, like shadows chased by the sun? Yet, can we ascertain that such ephemeral feelings of excitement truly encapsulate the essence of Eudaimonia, the flourishing life? Nay, I propose that real happiness emerges when our lives resonate harmoniously with our purpose, aligning our actions with the ideals we cherish and contributing meaningfully to the greater good. Indeed, as delightful as it may be to have enough cats to warm our feet, we must ponder if such comfort can be considered true happiness if it is not borne of fulfilling our inherent capacities as rational beings. Thus, we must strive for a deeper understanding of joy, transcending mere contentment to engage in a quest marked by philosophical inquiry and the pursuit of wisdom, for it is in this endeavor, I assert, that we truly realize the essence of a life well-lived—where happiness rests not in the whims of fortune or the caprices of desire, but emerges from the profound satisfaction of living in accordance with reason and virtue.