Join Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, as he unveils the deep connection between happiness, virtue, and personal responsibility shaped by the philosophies of Jefferson and Franklin. He emphasizes prioritizing long-term virtue over fleeting gratification, offering practical advice for self-mastery. Delving into the principles of self-governance, Rosen highlights how moral integrity and constitutional understanding are essential for a thriving society, inspiring a thoughtful exploration of what it truly means to pursue happiness.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Franklin's Virtue Chart
In his 20s, Benjamin Franklin aimed for moral perfection, listing 12 virtues and tracking his shortcomings.
He found this depressing due to many failures but still felt improved by the self-reflection.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Founders' Shared Source
Both Franklin and Jefferson derived their understanding of happiness from Cicero's Tusculum Disputations.
Jefferson copied a passage defining happiness as tranquility of soul, not excessive joy or sadness.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Jefferson's Reading List
Read Cicero's Tusculum Disputations and other classical and Enlightenment moral philosophy works.
Follow Jefferson's rigorous reading schedule, including two hours of moral philosophy before dawn.
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Meditations is a series of private writings composed by Marcus Aurelius, one of Rome's greatest emperors, as he struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe. Written between 170 and 180 CE while on military campaigns, this work combines Stoic philosophy with personal observations on leadership, duty, mortality, and human nature. Through twelve books of intimate thoughts never intended for publication, Marcus Aurelius explores themes of self-improvement, resilience in the face of adversity, and living virtuously while accepting what cannot be changed.
Essay Concerning Human Understanding
John Locke
Published in 1689, 'An Essay Concerning Human Understanding' is a comprehensive work that challenges the notion of innate knowledge. Locke argues that all knowledge is derived from experience and reflection, and he divides experience into two categories: sensation (information from the external world) and reflection (the mind's operations on those sensations). The essay is structured into four books, addressing topics such as the rejection of innate ideas, the theory of ideas, the role of language, personal identity, and the limits and nature of human knowledge. Locke's work had a significant influence on modern Western philosophy and continues to be a cornerstone in discussions of epistemology and the philosophy of mind.
The Tusculum Disputations
The Tusculum Disputations
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Cicero
Cicero's "Tusculum Disputations" is a philosophical work exploring various aspects of happiness and virtue. It delves into the nature of good and evil, the importance of reason, and the pursuit of tranquility. The book offers practical guidance on how to live a virtuous life and achieve inner peace. It emphasizes self-mastery and the importance of controlling one's emotions and desires. Cicero's work has had a lasting impact on Western philosophy and continues to be studied for its insights into ethics and the human condition.
Letters
Samuel Rutherford
As we study the Constitution and spend time reading, we can cultivate virtue and learn what the Founders meant by the “pursuit of happiness.” Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, delivered this forum address on January 28, 2025. You can access the full talk here.
BYU Speeches 
