Seneca’s principles for thriving in life

Large numbers of philosophers have preached ideals that do not have anything to do with real life. When I read their works, I can only wonder if they spent one minute reflecting on work, success, prosperity or #happiness . #seneca exemplifies the opposite. He devoted his works to dealing with real-life concerns and supplied useful advice. He didn’t put forward ideals that he would not practise himself, even if he never achieved perfect consistency. In the essay “On the Happy Life,” Seneca gave us his recipe for thriving in life. He was already sixty-two when he wrote it, and drew lessons from a lifetime experience. His long exile in Corsica had marked his character as much as his later financial success as adviser to Empress Agrippina. Seneca’s concept of happiness is different from Aristotle’s. I attribute the differences to essential philosophical arguments. It is not that Seneca was unfamiliar with #aristotle (384-322 BC) and the “Nicomachean Ethics” and “Eudemian Ethics.” He did know Aristotle’s formula for happiness, but disagreed with it. “Thriving” and “achievement” drive Aristotelian ethics from beginning to end. For Aristotle, human action is teleological. It has happiness as a goal (“telos”), for which health, prosperity, success and popularity constitute stepping stones. Aristotelian moral values are supposed to help us thrive and advance towards happiness. When we practise #virtues such as self-discipline or benevolence, Aristotle argued, we are helping ourselves build a better life. Seneca did not contest that humans desire happiness, but he found Aristotle’s advice impractical. Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/senecas-principles-for-thriving-in-life/