How to live a good life

[glitterfairy]

Am reading a book by AC Grayling about what is good and the search for the good life. Where do we get our fulfiment and happiness from and what is good? I wondered what your thoughts were. He says this..."The considered life - free creative, informed and chosen, a life of achievement and fulfilment, of pleasure and understanding, of love and friendship; in short, the best human life in a human world, humanely lived."

[papillon]

Yes please, I will order one

Wo he says is right on imo. Might think of something more deep than that, but right now eating my oats... a good start to a good day!

[glitterfairy]

paps you are a darling! Eating oats and reading mums net I can picture it now. One of the interesting things in this book is what Aristotle says . One is that a friend is "another self", which I really like and the other is on anger "It is easy to fly into a passion anyone can do that; but to be angry with the right person to the right extent, at the right time in the right way, with the right aim; that is not easy." I like that because it means that anger is not when used well a bad thing and we sometimes think it is.

[gothicmama]

Wow i love the quote from Grayling have got a reference for it I would like to use it my project on people with learning disabilities it sums up what I am trying to say very nicely- do you mind

[jimmychoos]

What's the book GF?

[glitterfairy]

Not at all feel free I used the stuff about work and life which aussiesim posted the other day for students and it went down a treat. I am all in favour of getting ideas off others! Another Aristotle quote is this " We ought not to listen to those who counsel us to think as mere mortal men should think, and to remember our mortality. Rather we ought to strive towards attaining something great, and leave nothing unattempted in the effort to live conformably with the highest thing in us."

[glitterfairy]

THe book is called What is good? The search for the best way to live by A C Grayling. It is a canter through philosphy looking at how we strive to live the good life. He is anti religion by the way so be warned any religious people.

[spacemonkey]

anyone read anything by thomas moore? he's great

Care of the Soul

[spacemonkey]

also The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton - fantastic book which has a lot to say on this subject!

[glitterfairy]

HAve had a look at these spacemonkey and will get them didnt Alain de Botton do a series recently on modern society?

[spacemonkey]

I think he did gf but i didn't see it. He is amazing brilliant and fab!

[melsy]

These sounds wonderful girls, my word my reading list is huge now. Not sure when I ll get the chance to read them all. Im reading 3 at the moment as it is !!! loooking forward to my new exciting readig pile.

[papillon]

Great thread glitter!

Anybody else read "Intimage history of humanity" by Theordore Zeldin - it is about achieving goals by seeing looking at the major emotional systems humans follow for better or worse.

The anger quote is very interesting. I will have to ponder upon that quite alot more.
and find out more about de Botton - Mr amazing, brilliant fab!!!

Melsy - we will have to compare book stacks LOL

[glitterfairy]

Another fascinating book I am looking at along these lines is called Liars Lovers and Heroes how we become who we are. It is about neural networks and the new science of the brain. It discounts some of the evolutionary psychology stuff and looks at the areas of our brain and the chemicals involved in many of our decisions and moods. It is great because it explained somehting about seritonin for the first time and also dopamine and its effects. it looks at why we have become social animals and why we do stuff against our genetic grain like give our lives for others and for causes. Fascinating I have become a bore on the subject now.

[papillon]

I look forward to being bored lots then glitterfairy as this fascinates me too. But sounds like heavy reading for the lack of sleep bird brain I have been lately, I hope I can keep up

alterior actions to our genetic grain sounds most interesting. I almost posted a new thread last nite about competition but thought it might evoke a big yawn and no interest. The idea stemmed from Professor Robert Winstons documentary "human instinct"
He said that only three species compete: humans, chimpanze and dolphins

interested in the seritonin idea too. It was posted on MN about osteopath mentioned this in relation to sleeping and cranial work.

and Intimate is not spelled with a ´g´

[glitterfairy]

lol paps not sure about the intimate stuff though am I being stupid? Prof Winston seems a very genetic biased chap to me but brain science and computers seems very exciting.

[glitterfairy]

Spacmonkey could you tell me more about what alain says abut the good life please? Also looked up the link to Thomas Moore who looks really interesting and wanted to ask what he says as well. I am interested in the humane world view but one where we try to get in touch with our souls (for want of a better word) and our innermost thoughts and expressions.

[juniper68]

I don't understand the Prof Winston quote? Lot's of animals compete for mates etc..
Plus I sat and watched two sparrows fighting over a bit of dried grass for their nest yesterday and I'd say they were competing.

[papillon]

Juniper he was saying that they work together - and if not success will abandon the group for a more successful one.

Perhaps it was the level of competition - I know what you mean about birds working together saw two male ducks chasing a female the other day.
But the dolphin males travel together with more intent and for longer periods of time I think .. rather than just flash of the pan ganging up

[juniper68]

OIC TY. So does he really mean interact with one another?

[sibble]

great reading lists - am going to have to join the local library - have been putting it off but as melsy said reading list is getting too long now. still will have plenty to do during those earlly hour breast feeds soon. I will be so informed/cultured!!!!

[papillon]

Hi Juniper - being feeling abit brain dead the last few days still am abit - but will try and act intellectual for afew minutes to respond to your post

Young male Dolpins do not belong to group / family. So in order to attract their harem etc, they form a small group (3 dolphins was shown on the TV programme) to increase their chances of finding mates - will try and break up other families. So they definately interact together - strength in numbers.

I am not an expert on dolphins mind... STACE if you are reading this maybe you have some insight about this?

So humans, chimps and dolphins use competition to gain something they desire... in this case for reproduction purposes. Humans do use it for wider purposes - but there is a saying it all goes back to the cave -- our actions that is.

hope I have made some sense... sloping back off to the Yurt

[glitterfairy]

Whilst animals do interact and observing them can lead to fascinating glimpses into our earlier selves, I still believe that we have developed insights and frontal cortex development which means that our communication is more sophisticated. Even if you look at the early cave paintings in france the nature of our communication and our search for meaning in life and symbols was clear even in the caves paps. I dont know if anyone knows about dolphins or what their world experience is but they do not as far as I am aware talk like us in symbols such as writing, pictures and so on. Our search for meaning in existence seems much deeper and more spiritual and sets us apart. It should of course also make us more caring for the wonderful world we have to live in and for our fellow humans but am not sure that this is always evident.

[papillon]

I agree Glitter that human comprehenion is more developed than other animals. We also have a wide range of stimuli to learn from, which seems to drive our development. I think this make having a good life such a variable concept, for example, I did not have a computer as a kid. But kids these days gravitate towards them as well all do
How will this affect their lives? Thinking back to the quote from AC Grayling about having a free, creative life etc, I think that a lack of exercise can hamper life - and correct me if I am wrong but we sit on our butts alot these days. Physical exercise can do wonders for the body and coming from the philosophy of the Alexander Technique - our bodies have not evolved for all the sitting down we do and the world we live in. We have reduced our mobility alot from cave dwelling days. Physical evolution occurs at a much slower pace than mental evolution.

Perhaps this all contributes to the increasing levels of depression we as a species are experiencing?

[melsy]

yes there is something in that paps, as we dont need the fight instinct as much , the chemicals from stresss stay in the body much longer, is it cortisol I cant recall??? . I think there has been some evidence that as we are more sedantry that depression has increased. I for one feel much better when Ive taken a long walk in thr park.

[glitterfairy]

The gym has worked for me and I do come home sweating and high. It helps me get through the day. You are right paps but some of the new technology also helps us make links which we would not otherwise have made and reach out to more and more people.