Jeffrey Rosen, a law professor and president of the National Constitution Center, discusses how the Founding Fathers' pursuit of happiness was rooted in virtue and self-improvement. He highlights their belief that personal growth benefits society, emphasizing the moral ideals influenced by classical philosophy. Rosen explores the daily routines and self-examination practices of figures like Benjamin Franklin, revealing how reflecting on virtues can lead to personal mastery. Their legacy shows that striving for moral excellence remains a worthy pursuit.
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insights INSIGHT
Happiness as Virtue
The Founding Fathers linked happiness to virtue and excellence, not mere pleasure.
Personal self-government was essential for successful political self-government.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Rediscovering Classical Wisdom
Jeffrey Rosen rediscovered the importance of classical books during COVID by following Jefferson's reading schedule.
The core lesson: happiness means being good through self-mastery, not feeling good.
insights INSIGHT
Reason vs Passion in Enlightenment
Enlightenment shaped founders' belief in reason as divine and the key to controlling passions.
Moderation of anger, jealousy, and fear enables productive emotions and virtue.
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Xenophon's 'Memoirs of Socrates,' also known as 'Memorabilia,' offers a collection of dialogues and anecdotes that depict Socrates' life, teachings, and philosophical method. Through these accounts, Xenophon portrays Socrates as a wise and virtuous man who sought to improve the lives of those around him. The work covers a range of topics, including justice, piety, courage, and self-control, illustrating Socrates' approach to ethical and practical questions. Xenophon's 'Memoirs' provides valuable insights into Socrates' character and thought, offering a portrait of a philosopher dedicated to the pursuit of truth and the cultivation of virtue.
The conduct of the understanding in the search of truth
John Locke
John Locke's 'Conduct of the Understanding' is a treatise on the improvement of intellectual faculties and the pursuit of knowledge. In this work, Locke emphasizes the importance of disciplined thinking, objective reasoning, and unbiased judgment. He offers practical advice on how to overcome intellectual obstacles, avoid common errors in reasoning, and cultivate a clear and discerning mind. Locke underscores the necessity of questioning assumptions, examining evidence, and seeking truth through careful and methodical inquiry. By following his guidelines, readers can enhance their understanding and make sound judgments in all areas of life.
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.
The golden verses of Pythagoras
Pythagoras
The Golden Verses of Pythagoras is a collection of maxims and ethical teachings attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras. These verses offer practical guidance on living a virtuous life, emphasizing self-control, moderation, and the pursuit of wisdom. They promote harmony between body and soul, reason and passion. The verses advocate for daily self-reflection and the cultivation of virtues such as justice, temperance, and courage. Their influence on the Founding Fathers is evident in their emphasis on self-improvement and the pursuit of virtue.
The Pursuit of Happiness
How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America
Jeffrey Rosen
Note: This is a rebroadcast.
A lot of self-improvement advice and content feels empty. And there’s a reason for that. It often offers routines and habits to practice, but doesn’t offer a strong, overarching reason to practice them.
That’s why the self-improvement advice of the Founding Fathers is particularly compelling. Though they were imperfect men, they had a clear why for trying to become better than they were. For the Founders, life was about the pursuit of happiness, and they equated happiness with excellence and virtue — a state that wasn’t about feeling good, but being good. The Founders pursued happiness not only for the personal benefit in satisfaction and tranquility it conferred, but for the way the attainment of virtue would benefit society as a whole; they believed that political self-government required personal self-government.
Today on the show, Jeffrey Rosen, a professor of law, the president of the National Constitution Center, and the author of The Pursuit of Happiness, shares the book the Founders read that particularly influenced their idea of happiness as virtue and self-mastery. We talk about the schedules and routines the Founders kept, the self-examination practices they did to improve their character, and how they worked on their flaws, believing that, while moral perfection was ultimately an impossible goal to obtain, it was still something worth striving for.
The Art of Manliness 
