In this enlightening discussion, philosophers Meghan Sullivan and Paul Blaschko from the University of Notre Dame share insights from their book on living a meaningful life. They explore virtue ethics and the significance of intentions, emphasizing the balance between love and work. The duo highlights the art of asking 'strong questions' to foster deep conversations and truth-seeking. They also delve into the concepts of eudaimonia, moral identity, and the vital role of attention in nurturing relationships, weaving ancient wisdom into modern life.
Virtue ethics emphasizes cultivating personal traits like courage and generosity to achieve eudaimonia or human flourishing.
Asking strong questions facilitates deeper conversations that foster personal growth and better understanding of ourselves and others.
Balancing action with contemplation allows individuals to reflect on their experiences and intentions, leading to a more integrated and fulfilling life.
Deep dives
Understanding Virtue Ethics
Virtue ethics revolves around the concept of living a good life by cultivating personal virtues that contribute to human flourishing or eudaimonia. This approach contrasts with rule-based ethics as it emphasizes the traits and character of individuals rather than strict adherence to rules. Aristotle, a key figure in virtue ethics, suggests that flourishing involves examining one's purpose and aligning actions accordingly to achieve excellence in life. The focus on virtues encourages individuals to develop qualities like courage and generosity, which are essential for fulfilling their potential and leading meaningful lives.
The Importance of Strong Questions
Strong questions are a powerful tool for exploring deeper truths about ourselves and others, facilitating meaningful conversations that lead to personal growth. They differ from superficial inquiries as they seek to understand motivations and perspectives rather than to merely challenge or debate. By employing techniques like starting point questions, philosophical goal questions, and means questions, individuals can engage in discussions that encourage reflection and dialogue. These inquiries foster better relationships and a pursuit of truth, allowing people to work through complex issues in their interpersonal dealings.
Balancing Action and Contemplation
Aristotle argued that while action is crucial for living a good life, contemplation is equally important as it nurtures the philosophical aspects of human existence. A solely action-oriented approach may lead to vulnerabilities, as circumstances beyond one's control can derail well-laid plans and achievements. Additionally, contemplation allows individuals to reflect on their experiences, intentions, and philosophical questions about life, ensuring a deeper understanding of happiness. Striking a balance between engaging in purposeful action and taking time for reflective thought leads to a more integrated and fulfilling life.
The Role of Love and Attention
Love is framed as a verb, emphasizing the importance of actions in nurturing relationships, yet it also hinges on the attention we give to others in our lives. This notion develops into a practice of actively seeing and understanding the inner lives of those we love, akin to the teachings of philosophers like Iris Murdoch. By cultivating loving attention, individuals can better appreciate the complexities and beauties of their relationships and foster deeper connections. This attentiveness also plays a significant role in enhancing conversations, making them less acrimonious by demonstrating genuine care for others’ perspectives.
Navigating Work and Meaning
The relationship between work and personal fulfillment is complex, as many individuals derive meaning from their jobs while also facing burnout. Aristotle suggests that reflecting on the 'why' behind one's work can realign priorities with the ultimate goal of achieving eudaimonia. By recognizing the social dimensions of work, such as building relationships with coworkers, individuals can discover deeper meanings that extend beyond monetary gains. Additionally, encouraging a continuous pursuit of personal growth and moral development within professional contexts can lead to a more enriched life.
Most everyone wants to live a good, meaningful life, though we don’t always know what that means and how to do it. Plenty of modern self-improvement programs claim to point people in the right direction, but many of the best answers were already offered more than two thousand years ago.
My guests have gleaned the cream of this orienting, ancient-yet-evergreen advice from history’s philosophers and shared it in their new book, The Good Life Method: Reasoning Through the Big Questions of Happiness, Faith, and Meaning. Their names are Meghan Sullivan and Paul Blaschko, and they’re professors of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. Today on the show Meghan and Paul introduce us to the world of virtue ethics — an approach to philosophy that examines the nature of the good life, the values and habits that lead to excellence, and how to find and fulfill your purpose as a human being. We discuss how to seek truth with other people by asking them three levels of what they call “strong questions” and engaging in civil and fruitful dialogue. We then delve into why your intentions matter and why you should use “morally thick” language. We also examine the role that work and love has to play in pursuing the good life, and how the latter is very much about attention. We end our conversation with how a life of eudaimonia — full human flourishing — requires balancing action with contemplation.
