Shahid 1 6. Virtue and Happiness Several philosophers throughout time have tried to explain what it takes to be happy.

Basically most of them said in order to be happy, one has to be virtuous. In simpler terms, one who is a good person and does good things will be happy. Not just philosophers but, religion also preaches the same concept. The most famous philosophers to promote these concepts were Socrates, Aristotle, and Epictetus. According to Socrates, to be happy you have to die well. He was such a firm believer in dying well that he refused to escape prison and drank his own Hemlock, arguable the main reason hes even documented besides Platos notes on him today. His main philosophy was knowledge is virtue, and that ignorance evil. Knowledge is virtue makes perfect sense, because if one knows whats right or wrong or has an understanding of what its like to be a victim of an action they most likely would refrain from doing so and be a good person. Another thing Socrates used to promote virtue was his Soul Theory, which in brief says that good deeds benefit the soul while bad deeds harm it. Another virtue loving philosopher is Aristotle. According to him, the purpose of life is to pursue happiness which cant be achieved or fulfilled until one dies. He also says that a happy life is made perfect by all good things. These good things include: health, wealth, knowledge, virtue, and friendship as well as luck and freedom. Aristotle supports his claim on virtue stating, He is happy who lives in according with complete virtue. His philosophy highly resembles the ideologies of Socrates, but in his own style. Both he and Socrates heavily support the idea that without virtue, happiness is unattainable. Although only a slave, the stoic Epictetus also supported the philosophy linking virtue to happiness. He says in a documented quote by his students that if one is unhappy, his

Shahid 2 unhappiness is his fault. He also advises to live life doing what one wants to do in life, instead of being a sheep or beast as humans are humans and not animals. However his belief was a bit more unique because he thought that the only reason people are unhappy are because of their opinions or attitudes towards the events in life. He does consequently support virtue saying that he who does wrong, does wrong to himself, the same concept introduced under Socrates Soul Theory and Aristotles teachings. Knowledge is virtue, virtue is happiness, and happiness and virtue is freedom. This is the combined philosophy of Socrates, Aristotle, and Epictetus. These three men hoped to achieve a better or at least more civilized society by their teachings. Their philosophies on virtue are well put together and make sense when given deep thought on it. An ignorant crook, or anarchist cant truly be happy and if so they are probably insane. However, good, knowledgeable, and virtuous people are happy and also able to help out others in distress. Doctors, judges, lawyers, as well as police and paramedics are perfect examples of this.