Great questions Russell C. Smith. The origin of 'Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness' goes back to British philosopher John Locke's "Two Treatises of Government" (1689). Locke's theory was a collective of individuals would organize a government ensuring our natural rights of life, liberty, and property.
"Pursuit" seems to the word used for achieving happiness among others things (contentment, meaning, wealth, etc).
The more I frame pursuing something, the more I have come to think that it shouldn't be thought of as a pursuit because we won't (or don't) reach the end of happiness.
Arthur Brooks says that happiness is not a destination, but a direction. I think this thought may be worthy of studying further (not only for happiness, but other goals as well).
"The necessity of pursuing true happiness is the foundation of all liberty- Happiness, in its full extent, is the utmost pleasure we are capable of." John Locke
In Jeffersons time, an Enlightenment tinge with the early Romantic, happiness was a much fuller word than at present. It was not merely the consumer word happiness, but the recognition that all that could be done to make the world better had been done as far as the individual could see and do. As Joel Douglas has said it was a different collective of individuals ensuring our natural, again a much larger word, rights. and remember that Jefferson said that "among these" are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness but does not end them with the list but only begins.
So are legal structure is not based on the Declaration of Independence, but on the Constitution, but it shares with the gentleman which wrote the Declaration of Independence. a full measure of all of what could be said to be "all the good life has to offer." This formulation is "happiness" as described in the. Declaration of Independence and other tracts of the same era. Take the good not the ill of the people who were doing their best because it is the best that they meant.
But also look at what they did which was the worst of actions, because these are the creditor moments of our deepest nihilistic blackness which we must also see in our laws and social habits. A simple example is that Jefferson wished for men, not people, and while we have tried to balance the scales we have certainly not done so in our daily lives. Because while the Supreme Court the United States may be final, the people of the United States can change the rules once they know that there are lawyers willing to abscond with rights that we thought that we had and that the lawyers who were additionally for the Supreme Court nomination pretended to uphold while in their hearts they were waiting for a case to demolish those rights.
Great questions Russell C. Smith. The origin of 'Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness' goes back to British philosopher John Locke's "Two Treatises of Government" (1689). Locke's theory was a collective of individuals would organize a government ensuring our natural rights of life, liberty, and property.
In that light the pursuit of happiness could mean the right to make our own healthcare decisions or other decisions that impact ourselves. Here's the entire piece: https://joelkdouglas.substack.com/p/john-locke-ownership-of-self
Again, you pose some great questions!
The Founding Fathers were expecting too much of their citizens. They'd be disappointed now.
They couldn't imagine the type of world we live in. In almost every regard.
They didn't think they would be ready for it. Jefferson held that every 20 years or so the U.S. Constitution should be rewritten.
"Pursuit" seems to the word used for achieving happiness among others things (contentment, meaning, wealth, etc).
The more I frame pursuing something, the more I have come to think that it shouldn't be thought of as a pursuit because we won't (or don't) reach the end of happiness.
Arthur Brooks says that happiness is not a destination, but a direction. I think this thought may be worthy of studying further (not only for happiness, but other goals as well).
Thanks kindly, Georgia!
"The necessity of pursuing true happiness is the foundation of all liberty- Happiness, in its full extent, is the utmost pleasure we are capable of." John Locke
In Jeffersons time, an Enlightenment tinge with the early Romantic, happiness was a much fuller word than at present. It was not merely the consumer word happiness, but the recognition that all that could be done to make the world better had been done as far as the individual could see and do. As Joel Douglas has said it was a different collective of individuals ensuring our natural, again a much larger word, rights. and remember that Jefferson said that "among these" are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness but does not end them with the list but only begins.
So are legal structure is not based on the Declaration of Independence, but on the Constitution, but it shares with the gentleman which wrote the Declaration of Independence. a full measure of all of what could be said to be "all the good life has to offer." This formulation is "happiness" as described in the. Declaration of Independence and other tracts of the same era. Take the good not the ill of the people who were doing their best because it is the best that they meant.
But also look at what they did which was the worst of actions, because these are the creditor moments of our deepest nihilistic blackness which we must also see in our laws and social habits. A simple example is that Jefferson wished for men, not people, and while we have tried to balance the scales we have certainly not done so in our daily lives. Because while the Supreme Court the United States may be final, the people of the United States can change the rules once they know that there are lawyers willing to abscond with rights that we thought that we had and that the lawyers who were additionally for the Supreme Court nomination pretended to uphold while in their hearts they were waiting for a case to demolish those rights.