This essay requires you to reflect on different ways we might think of the best life for humans. One way can be found in Aristotles work which includes both elements that most people see as desirable and elements that philosophers see as important. A different view of the best life arises from the admiration many of us feel for individuals who serve as gadflies to the State and raise questions about what is best, what justice requires, etc. (These would be individuals like Socrates and King as, in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, King compared some of his activities to Socrates activities. Other gadflies can include John Lewis, Diane Nash, and Dorothy Height as well as Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi, and Patrisse Cullors [the three founders of BLM] and also DeGrazia and Torres.) This essay asks you to respond to the question: Which view of the best life is it better for us to focus on?
In writing your essay be sure to include the following:
A clear explanation of Aristotles idea of the optimal life for humans and why this might be thought to be a good view to accept.
A clear explanation of how it could be argued that individuals who serve as gadflies to the State are living the best life despite not meeting all Aristotles criteria for the best life.
Your position on this question – how should we think of this issue of the best life? Aristotles way? The way of Socrates and other gadflies? (Note: you need not agree with either position described here.) Give reasons in support of your view.
How might someone reasonably object to your argument and what is your response?
Note: This is meant to raise a question about how we think of or perceive the optimal life for ourselves and others. What should we think of as best? Dont try to solve this by looking up definitions of best; that will not solve the question. This is a question about value, not word definitions. Think about what you see as best and why.
