Is My Good Life the Good Life?

When I am asked, what gives my own life meaning, I would have to respond that it depends on how I was raised from the beginning of my life. Prior to this class I might just give a simple answer such as my friends, family and my potential to help others but would never have thought why. Everything is dependent on my ethical environment which according to Blackburn “is the surrounding climate of ideas about how to live” (Blackburn 1). These ideas on how one should live generate meaning for me.  My parents have always pushed me to do my best and have taught me how to live a moral and fulfilling life at an early age. I was taught how to treat others the way I wanted to be treated and to try and always be respectful. Being smart will hopefully one day bring a positive change to a person’s ethical environment one day, even if I never know them. I feel these ideas gave me the basis on how to see the meaning of my life. If I can pass on what I have been taught and use my knowledge to help others, I would feel like I have lived a fulfilling life. An example from my life is my current job. I am working in a pharmaceutical research laboratory with a focus on cancer research. I have worked long hours, sometimes all night and into the morning, but I was able to publish and am in the process of publishing again. I hope that my findings and discoveries will aid others in developing new medications or treatments for diseases like cancer. 

The next question that needs to be addressed is what basic principles would I like to live my life according to. I have already stated what I feel gives my life meaning but the philosophical background is missing.  However, before I can elaborate on the basic principles that explain how I would like to live my life, is necessary to state that that the principles are not the same for everyone. Relativism is the idea that there is no single truth or moral code. Different groups of people, different nations or different cultures may have different definitions of what is moral and just and what is evil and unethical. In other words, according to Blackburn, “there is no one truth” (Blackburn 19). In my case, I am using relativism simply as a disclaimer to show that just because certain principles guide me on how I feel I should live my life doesn’t, mean that these same principles would apply to others.

The first principle that is a motivating force for me is egoism. Egoism is an idea that describes humans as being “selfish animals” (Blackburn 29). The basis of this idea is that every decision or action we make is to benefit ourselves.  I feel that there is some truth behind this statement but it is not a universal truth.  A second principle that I feel I should live my life according to is Kantianism. Kant argues that “in order to act morally, one must be motivated from duty, seeking to do what is right because it is right, and not from self-interest or sympathy” (Salazar 1393). Another principle is utilitarianism which aims to maximize the happiness of all while reducing suffering as much as possible.  Being so, “one should benefit oneself only if those acts benefit the whole of conscious life” (Salazar 1393). The previous three principles can be applied to my career path which is one day becoming a Doctor of Pharmacy. I have always wanted to improve society and help people in need. I will be able to help people live longer healthier lives and help relieve pain caused by illness or disease. In addition I will one day be able to consult people and help give them peace of mind and be a role model for others. This goal will not be easy to accomplish and it will require hard work, dedication and sacrifice. I firmly believe that this goal is a direct blow to the theory of egoism. I do not feel like I am being selfish in this sense, in fact it is the exact opposite. I am dedicating my life to help others by aiding them in living a longer and healthier life. This also backs up the idea of utilitarianism in my case. By me becoming a Doctor of Pharmacy, I am maximizing the happiness of others that I help. If I were to be lazy and make nothing of my life, then I would not be living a utilitarianistic life. Those people that I could have potentially helped would not have received the medical attention from me and therefore I would not be benefiting society. Finally, I belief that the Kantian philosophy is a principle that I would like to live my life according to. I feel that it is my duty or obligation to pass on what I have been taught to others. It is my duty to try and be successful because my parents have pushed me to work hard and have always wanted me to have a successful life. It is also my duty to live to help others because I feel it would be a waste of my ability if I didn’t.

Based on the factors that give my life meaning and the principles that I want to live my life by, I can try and make a statement on what I think the good life is. The answer is I don’t know. Each and every person has their goals and dreams that they want to fulfill with different motivations behind those goals and dreams. This again is the idea of relativism and that “there is no one truth” behind actions (Blackburn 19). I elaborated on how my definition of the good life is helping others and using my acquired knowledge and positive attributes to do so. Others may see my chosen path in life to not be the best way to live the good life. This is only an opinion and their view point but they do not truly know what is best for me. “What is just or right in the eyes in one [person] may not be so in the eyes of another” (Blackburn 21). For this reason, it would be wrong for me to try and give a universal definition of what the good life entails.

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