ETHICS AND HAPPINESS

 MORALS AND PLEASURE

Ethic defined, the body of moral principles or values governing or distinctive of a particular culture or group. There are moral beliefs and rules about right and wrong. Ethics is the process of questioning, discovering and defending our values, principles and purpose. Happiness can be defined as the subjective enjoyment of life as a whole. Empirical studies on happiness show considerable differences.

Keywords: Meta Ethics, Moral Psychology, Motivation, Principles, Ideals, Contentment

INTRODUCTION

Ethics as the thought of Man about his action is as ancient as Man itself. It also focuses on the required accurate definition of key concepts of ethical reflection and bioethical practice such as principles and norms, values and virtues, rights and duties, and the right perception of the implication of each one and of their respective interactions in the understanding of action’s rationality Happiness is the main goal of life. Most individuals reach out for a happy life and many policymakers aim at greater happiness for a greater number. 

                     Happiness in psychology has two references. First, happiness is an umbrella term for several theories of well-being. These theories cover intrinsically rewarding and valued experience, positive beliefs about self and the world, or positive psychological functioning. Second, happiness has been considered a basic emotion by most theorists within the psychology of emotions. Virtuous behavior contributes to moral excellence. Moral excellence can contribute to a happy life. So being a moral person is essential to living a life of happiness. A person achieves happiness by possessing the disposition to make the right choice at the right time in the right way.

ETHIC

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that entails systematizing, defending, and advocating conceptions of good and bad behavior." Moral philosophy is another name for ethics . The term is also applied to any system or theory of moral values or principles. And it concerned with distinguishing between right and wrong. It affects how people make decisions in their lives. Ethics is defined as a moral philosophy or code of morals practiced by a person or group of people. Moral principles govern a person's behavior or the conducting of an activity. Involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior.

Meta Ethic

Meta ethics is the study of moral thought and moral language. Rather than addressing questions about what practices are right and wrong, and what our obligations to other people or future generations are questions of so-called 'normative' ethics meta ethics asks what morality actually is. For example, a moral nihilist would say that killing someone, for whatever reason is intrinsically neither morally right nor morally wrong.

Normative Ethics

Normative ethics the branch of moral philosophy, or ethics, concerned with criteria of what is morally right and wrong. It includes the formulation of moral rules that have direct implications for what human actions, institutions, and ways of life should be like. Normative ethics involves arriving at moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct. In a sense, it is a search for an ideal litmus test of proper behavior.

 Applied Ethics

Applied ethics refers to the practical application of moral considerations. It is ethics with respect to real world actions and their moral considerations in the areas of private and public life, the professions, health, technology, law and leadership. It is a field of ethics that deals with ethical questions specific to a professional, disciplinary or practical field.

Values of Ethic

Values are an assessment of worth and only humans can formulate and express value. All human societies have moral value systems and every individual has a code of moral values. While most people can agree upon those values that are generally important for everyone, people often disagree on the specifics because values often conflict, and people rank values differently.

Five General Principles of Ethical Judgment

1) The Value of Life Principle: 

• Human beings should revere, nurture and protect life.

2) The Principle of Goodness: 

• Human beings should promote goodness over badness, they should cause no badness or harm, and they should act to prevent badness or harm.

3) The Principle of Justice: 

• Human beings should treat other human beings justly and fairly in distributing goodness and badness among them.

4) The Principle of Truth-Telling: 

• Human beings should be honest with each other, thus promoting meaningful communication.

5) The Principle of Individual Freedom: 

• Human beings, being individuals with individual differences, must have the freedom to choose their own ways and means of being moral within the framework of the first four general principles of ethical judgment.

Can we live without ethics?

Actually, no man can live alone and without ethics, life together would be a living hell. It is ethics that gives us the power to choose between what is right and what is wrong. The sense of care not only for oneself but even to those close to you has all to do with ethics.

Aims of Ethics

The aim of ethics has been viewed in different ways, according to some, it is the discernment of right from wrong actions; to others, ethics separates that which is morally good from what is morally bad. Alternatively, ethics purports to devise the principles by means of which conducting a life worth being lived.

HAPPINESS

Happiness comes when we feel satisfied and fulfilled. The reason for happiness can vary from person to person. Also, the definition of happiness can be also varied according to the person. Where there is happiness there may be sadness also. This idea may be positive but that not means it can't be true. Happiness comes when you feel satisfied or joyful and it's a blissful feeling. The word 'happiness' is used in various ways. In the widest sense, it is an umbrella term for all that is good. In this meaning, it is often used inter changeably with terms like 'wellbeing' or 'quality of life' and denotes both individual and social welfare. 

Methods for Achieving Happiness

Happiness is a mental or emotional state of wellbeing. Life is better all-around when you are happy. Do an act of kindness for someone else, if you do something nice for someone else, it is likely to make you feel happier about yourself. Getting outside of yourself is a great way to alleviate your own suffering. Smile a lot, smiles are truly contagious. When you smile, you feel happier inside. It’s hard not to! And when you smile a lot, people will respond to you more positively, which will make you feel better. Focus on the positives, it sounds simple but it’s true. The old saying that you can look at a glass half full or half empty makes a lot of sense. So never forget the positives in your own life or how much worse you could have it.

Intrinsically Valuable

In ethics, intrinsic value is a property of anything that is valuable on its own. Intrinsic value is in contrast to an instrumental value, which is a property of anything that derives its value from a relation to another intrinsically valuable thing.

The Attraction of Hedonism

According to Hedonism, life is good only to the extent that it is filled with pleasure and freedom from pain. Physical pleasure only lasts for a moment, and therefore cannot give true happiness, while attitudinal pleasure can be enjoyed without the physical experience, and is what hedonists consider to have intrinsic value.

Some rules for a happy life

• Live with gratitude. 
• Fill your life with love. 
• Find your purpose. 
• Stop comparing yourself to others. 
• Practice forgiveness every day. 
• Surround yourself with happy people. 
• Never lose your inner child. 
• Don't chase material things.

False Happiness

False happiness comes from a feeling of superiority. We feel that happiness depends on proving to the world that we are better or more indispensable than other people. A close relative of pride is jealousy of others whom we can not surpass.

Get What You Want

Everyone has dreams and desires that may seem unattainable. They don't have to stay that way though. With some simple steps and self-control, you can be on your way to achieving the goals you never thought possible.

Ethics has evolved along the centuries mostly in contemporaneity but has always preserved its identity as a rationalization of human action, in which it grounds its objectivity and coherence and its validity and credibility, within a universal framework. Happiness comes when we feel satisfied and fulfilled. And also the reason for happiness can vary from person to person. Also, the definition of happiness can be also varied according to the person. Moral happiness is how allowing personal happiness to be affected by the happiness of those to who you are closest too.

Thank You!

S.D.S.Medhangani

shamax199@gmail.com