Discern Your Higher Purpose [Ethics 2]

Discern Your Higher Purpose

Thinking with Aristotle

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“If, then, there is some end of the things we do, which we desire for its own sake, and if we do not choose everything for the sake of something else, clearly this must be the good and the chief good. Will not the knowledge of it, then, have a great influence on life? Shall we not, like archers who have a mark to aim at, be more likely to hit upon what is right?”

Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book 1.2

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Dear friend,

Warmest regards to each of you, my valued companion in the pursuit of wisdom. It is with great pleasure that I present to you another letter from Wisdom Epistles, where we delve into the rich wisdom embedded in Aristotle's teachings.

We live in a world where various pleasures and goods satisfy our desires to different degrees. Consider receiving a luxurious car as a gift – isn't that far better than getting delicious chocolate? I mean, sweet chocolate is good, but isn't it still inferior to something like a car? Or isn't it far more fulfilling to aim for the top spot in the world as an Olympian, rather than aiming for the tenth place when you are working so hard at it anyway?

Aristotle's philosophy emphasizes the importance of identifying the ultimate good, which is pursued for its own end rather than for the attainment of something else. For example, you can train your dog to perform amazing tricks, but what is the purpose of that? Is it to impress your friends? Or is it just to enforce obedience and strict compliance? Well, these are lesser aims compared to the higher aim, which is to deepen the social bond between you and your dog. Every training should serve this higher goal of deepening social bonding, and all other training methods and programs should revolve around that. Obedience is undoubtedly important, but it is not the highest goal.

So, as you reflect on your life this week, consider the following questions:

• What is the higher good you are striving for in your work or relationships? Is it security? Or is it genuine happiness?

• What are the lesser aims that you once thought were significant but turned out to be relatively insignificant, such as greed for money?

• Why do you think it is important to aim for higher aims in life, rather than lower ones?

This week, set aside some time to contemplate the higher purpose of your life. As you make choices and take action, consider how they align with your core values and contribute to the attainment of the ultimate good. In doing so, you will delve deeper into the core engine of your soul, becoming wiser about your life.

Stay tuned for next week's installment of wisdom. Until then, may your thoughts run deep, and may your actions be steered by the pursuit of the higher good.

Warmly,

Aristotle's Disciple

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Videos for this Week

You can watch relevant YouTube videos below (do subscribe to the channel!):

[Ethics 1] How to Think Deeply About Life

[Ethics 2] Discern Your Higher Purpose