When given the word happiness, the first idea that comes to our minds is buying a new car or money. At the beginning of the semester, we had to write about what our thoughts on happiness were. In my post, I wrote that happiness means being content and cheerful, and I agree this is the true meaning of happiness. During the following weeks in class, we looked into different philosophers and religions and saw what their views on happiness were. The first philosopher we look at was Aristotle and his view of happiness is living a virtuous life (n.p.d). Aristotle mentions in his Nichomachean Ethics that there is a difference between happiness and pleasure. Pleasure is short term and momentary satisfaction. Happiness is a long term pleasure that you will have until the end of time. The second philosopher we looked at was Benjamin Franklin. Franklin states, “The desire of happiness in general is so natural to us that all the world are in pursuit of it; all have this one end in view, though they take such different methods to attain it, and are so much divided in their notions of it” (Popova). Here, Franklin is telling us that we all have one view on what happiness is; even though we may have different ways of receiving it. Thesis: Happiness is our mental and emotional well-being, …show more content…
In Buddhism it says the key to happiness is to reach Nirvana, worldly goods are not needed, and you need to have a positive mental disposition. Judaism is also related towards Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. In Judaism, happiness is the pleasure in the little things, appreciation and connection to God. We have to trust in God with all of our worries and have a balance between giving and taking and to count our blessings each day. The common theme of finding happiness for Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism is to make God the center of our lives and to follow in his