The Future

We looked at ideal happiness as being self supporting. A god wouldn't need to show justice or appear virtuous since he would always live in perfection and truth. Those are are human traits associated with living on the earth. But since we cannot deny our humanity, we have needs associated with living on the earth. Human happiness is also tied to necessities such as needs and accomplishments using virtue. These require interaction with other people. A just person gets satisfaction from making things equal with others and a liberal person is happy giving to others.

Since we want to reach beyond ourselves, our contemplation is primary to happiness but we also have human needs that are secondary. This is called our composite nature. We have a draw toward the divine contemplative nature with reasoning that wants to know truth. But it is also necessary to have desires fulfilled and needs met to our satisfaction and in a proper manner. As all of these areas are satisfied we become happy. This requires will and action. Is one better than the other? Is it worse to do something compulsive that is mostly passion with little will involved or to always do what is right and yet wish for something else? There is no good answer but we can conclude the ideal is that our actions have our will behind them when we are dealing with the human side of happiness.

Contemplative reason is best and actions based on careful thought to engage our will are the ones that secure our happy lives. But this isn't a common practice in a normal society. The only alternative to living a virtuous life by choice is to live in misery. It is possible to delude ones self and accept a lot in life that is less than ones potential. We use laws and self discipline to help each other stay the course. Pain is the teacher that steps in when reason is absent.

This human side can be given to excess and a life focused on excess can end up miserable. The reality is that to exercise virtue a person doesn't need much. A person who gives out of what little one has is as virtuous if not more than one who gives out of an abundance. This works with honor and integrity. It is interesting to observe the outrage at dishonest politicians by dishonest people. To be honest is to be truthful and integrity works to correct wrongdoings. Everyone deals with this to different degrees depending on what habits they have formed. That is why ethics is an important study; if from youth good habits are formed it is easier to do what is right. It is never too late to improve and change habits. Some things cannot be undone but there is always a future where we can do better.