Definition of Happiness Philosophy Essay Example

In order to know how someone could achieve happiness, it is crucial to give happiness a definition. Herodotus and Seneca, though not always on the same page, seem to be able to come to a solid definition of happiness. Seneca says happiness is “Self-sufficiency and abiding tranquility. This is the gift of the greatness of soul, the gift of constancy which perseveres in a course judged right”(Seneca 240). Along with this, he says “the happy life depends solely on our reason being perfect. Only perfect reason keeps the soul from being submissive and stands firm against Fortune”(Seneca 240). Not only do we need to know what self-sufficiency means, but we also need to look closely at what tranquility is and why it relates so much to being happy. Seneca describes tranquility as “The stability of mind”. This means that “the mind can maintain a consistent and advantageous course, be kind to itself and take pleasure in its attributes, never interrupt this satisfaction, but abide in its serenity, without excitement or depression”(Seneca 79 & 80). What types of people are more likely to carry a stable mindset? It could be said that those with misfortunes are more likely to have a troubled mind than the wealthy because they would likely have more to worry about. If this is true, then the indigent would be less likely to reach tranquility, therefore inhibiting them from reaching true happiness. However, anyone can struggle with the hyper-fixation of something, making it hard to reach stability and tranquility. A fortunate person is just as likely as the unfortunate to struggle with having a stable mind. The only difference is that their mind would most likely be on the thought of attaining more money or other worldly pleasures, leading them to greed, while on the other hand, the unfortunate one would struggle with just trying to survive. Seneca, bringing up greed says, “for greed nothing is enough”(Seneca 122). It is often the case, that one will always want more of something even when they clearly have enough, especially when it comes to money. Herodotus further helps the claim that wealth has nothing to do with happiness in The Histories.  It should be said that happiness is aligned solely with good things, and whether one has obtained the most good things. In agreement with Seneca, he implies that it is one’s nature that allows someone to strive for the good things one may need. This idea is first seen when a man Solon explains happiness to king Croesus, who assumed himself to be the happiest of men. He says “whoever has the greatest number of good things I have mentioned, and keeps them to the end, and dies a peaceful death, that man, Croesus, deserves in my opinion to be called happy… Great wealth can make a man no happier than moderate means”(Herodotus I.32). The good things he is referring to include health, freedom, good looks, and other things of this sort. These things do not depend on whether one is unfortunate or not, but instead, rely on what one does with what one has and the natural order of things, which Seneca will further investigate. The thing Seneca would disagree with is that the good things don’t need to be material things. They are the things that allow people to be self-sufficient and tranquil. One who is in poverty, though lacking financial equality, could be considered equal in the other goods they possess. Money is not an ultimate good and therefore is not related to one’s happiness. Along with this, it seems that wealth is mostly measured by one’s outside appearance because it is what is usually affected the most. Yet, these worldly differences can never speak for one’s soul and what one has the ability to achieve.