The Thomistic Institute Virtue and the Desire for Happiness in a Secular Age | Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, OP
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Oct 4, 2016 
Fr. Nicanor Austriaco, OP discusses traditional views on happiness and virtue in a secular age. Dive into Aristotle's perspective on sociability, friendships, and happiness, contrasted with modern challenges. Explore the significance of virtues in achieving true happiness, navigating luck, misfortune, and desires. Reflect on the intersection of complexity, genetics, and formal causality in biology, influenced by Aristotle's theories.
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Nova Effect in Secular Age
- Charles Taylor describes our secular age as one overwhelmed by endless options for happiness, causing deep tension.
- This 'Nova Effect' means people struggle to find meaningful significance amid many competing worldviews.
Six Steps to Finding Purpose
- To find purpose, start by clarifying your core values and emulate inspiring figures rather than imitate them.
- Regularly reflect on your life goals and shape a purpose bigger than yourself, revising it as needed.
Friendship is Essential for Happiness
- Aristotle stresses the crucial role of friendship in achieving happiness, recognizing humans as inherently social beings.
- True happiness is communal; we find ultimate joy in relationships, even spiritual ones beyond human contact.