The Good Life

For your final assignment, you will be writing a paper regarding your interpretation of the "Good Life" and a critical analysis of ethical relativism. Base your interpretation for both requirements on Plato’s Republic and Frankl’s Mans Search for Meaning.

Prior to writing your paper, review the excerpts from the Republic and Man’s Search for Meaning, concentrating on the ethical principles involved. Then in your paper, please write about your understanding of how each of these 3 stories brings to you the wealth of the soul that will allow you to experience the same Good Life that Plato and the thinkers mentioned in the class articulated.
Cephalus, pages 11-14.
Ring of Gyges, 40-44.
Cave of Ignorance, 186-189.
Myth of Er, pages 281-285.
Man’s Search for Meaning is on page 508 of your Sommers text.

As you prepare to write this paper, consider the following to guide your thinking:
From the Ring of Gyges, think about the choices we all make. Do we always act for personal gain? Can we never act towards the greater good? How does the concept of self worth and self dignity apply in both Frankl and your own experience?
The point of the Cave of Ignorance is to turn your eyes to a different type of reality: The reality of the sun (The Good) and how it filters down to everything. As an analogy, the sun is the universal good and is what allows us to see and, thus, value all things. What reality do you hold onto as a value? Does a vision of the Good argue for or against an ethical relativism?
The last excerpt from The Republic is the Myth of Er. Think about the soul of Odysseus and the choice he made. What do you think is the psychological importance of understanding the values of ordinary life and how we live from day to day?
Finally, Victor Frankl’s Logo Therapy is based on finding a meaning in life or understanding how one’s life can be seen within the context of meaning. Relate Frankl’s Logo Therapy to the three stories of The Republic and your selection of the ethical thinkers we have discussed.

As you write your paper, you may also think about a universal ethics or an ethics based on relativism and culture and how this distinction has worked in your personal or professional life. Write about your personal journey toward the good life and how it can be obtained. Use Victor Frankl and the conversation of The Republic as a foundation but please provide your personal insights and observations.