This I believe essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

This I believe - Essay Example Back then, I was really big, not in terms of height but of width. I am really not so sure how I got that way and when people ask me, I just tell them in jest, that some people are born to be â€Å"more spectacular† than others. During that period, all my friends referred to me as â€Å"big†. Sometimes, to avoid hurting me, they will also add the phrase â€Å"laugh and grow fat†. This is the closest I can translate the term from Chinese, which actually means that fat people usually have a beautiful heart deep inside. But seriously, even if they tried to soften the blow, I felt they still poked at my weakest spot. So finally, I decided to do some change. I told myself when I looked into the mirror that I can no longer live like this. So, I secretly began a program for myself to slim down. It was probably the first semester of my junior high school when the semester began, that I launched my personal project. I decided to keep it to myself as I started my plan with the most simple and effective way which was dieting. I don’t know how I made up my mind but I was able to skip my breakfast and lunch everyday in the next year. However, the only thing I regret about skipping meals was disappoi nting my mother who lovingly prepared them for me. Every morning she woke up very early to prepare breakfast for me and my dad and carefully packed them into a meal box for us to take out. But when I opened the box smell the food, I either threw it directly to the trash or give it to my friend to eat. There were actually several times when I felt I wanted to quit, and that I cannot do it anymore. But every day when I looked into the mirror at my reflection and stepped on the weighing scale, I get motivated with the changes I see. This kept me on track. I told myself to keep trying†¦to keep walking while watching. Six months after my plan started, I found my face thinner and my belt looser and of course, the numbers on the scale

The Main Difference between Aristotles Account of Virtue and Socrates Essay

The Main Difference between Aristotles Account of Virtue and Socrates Account of Virtue - Essay Example This is because it identifies happiness as an activity of the soul which goes together with virtue. Aristotle argues that if what individuals do is the source of happiness then, happiness must identify with activity which goes with virtue. Socrates argued that being virtuous was very much related with increasing individual’s happiness. The controversy between the two is that according to Aristotle happiness should always go in accordance with virtue. On the same note, according to Socrates virtue does not necessarily need to be highly related with happiness. Aristotle attempts to criticize Socrates for his emphasis on Socratic definitions. Aristotle does not completely agree with the argument by Socrates that knowledge is important in as far as virtue is concerned. He thinks that even if there is need for knowledge it is easily attainable as suggested by Irwin (158). Aristotle also draws the analogy between acquiring knowledge and acquiring virtue. He argues that both are gain ed through repeating similar actions. Socrates argues that a virtuous soul should also be well ordered. He also argues that power of knowledge of right and the wrong is the advantage of virtue. This is because the knowledge of the two is important to crafts of measurement. ... He also argues that knowledge of the truth is not very important as one can act accidentally or be directed by someone else. Aristotle explains that virtuous actions are objective and are performed by a virtuous agent. Aristotle is in disagreement with Socrates concerning the nature of vice and ethical value as suggested by Segvic and Burnyeat (78). According to Aristotle for an action to be considered virtuous there must be an agreement with the non-rational desires. The agreement should be for reason to express the actions are supposed to be pursued. Contrary to this, according to Socrates there is no need for prior agreement by non-rational desires concerning the setting of the ends. Therefore Socrates considers that the condition necessary for an agent to attain moral knowledge is through disciplining his or her appetites and passions. The also need to be in a harmonious condition. Aristotle fails to agree with Socrates about non-rational desires lead to errors. Socrates is of th e view that strong non-rational desires results to reason making wrong judgment about what is really good. On his account of, virtue Aristotle disagrees with Socrates denying the possibility of incontinence. Socrates argues that only ignorance of what is good and wrong lies behind apparent incontinence. Contrary to this, Aristotle asserts that Socrates argument conflicts appearances he Aristotle’s perception of incontinence seems to be puzzling and their interpretation is therefore controversial. Aristotle seems to argue that incontinent individual makes the right decision. This is because he or she is moved to action by non-rational appetite that conflicts with the decisions he or she has made. The individual acts on the appetite because its strong as opposed