Todd May, in "A Decent Life- Morality for the Rest of Us," proposes the concept of "decency" as a moral framework for daily life, situated between the ideals of altruism and the baseline of moral mediocrity. Decency acknowledges that others have lives they are trying to carry on and seeks to inculcate this recognition as a natural part of our behavior. This involves being sensitive to the fact that we share the world with others who have their own projects, relationships, and basic needs. May argues that traditional moral theories might not provide a helpful framework for everyone, especially those who aim for something beyond basic duties but fall short of altruism. He suggests that decency offers a way to think about our moral lives that resonates with our better moments and can act as a standard for further moral action. This perspective shifts away from a morality defined solely by duties and obligations towards one grounded in positive relations with others. Furthermore, May extends the idea of decency to the political sphere, emphasizing civility as a recognition that others in our common spaces also have lives to live and that their political viewpoints, even in disagreement, hold a certain legitimacy. He also highlights the importance of treating fellow human beings with dignity, respecting their capacity to develop life projects and meet basic needs, and acting with dignity in shared spaces as a model for others. Ultimately, May suggests that we should each ask ourselves how we might act decently to improve our common space to a degree that is reasonable for us, aiming to leave the world a little better. This idea of living well is also deeply explored in the concept of "eudaimonia," or flourishing, originating from Aristotle and discussed in several sources. Virtue ethics, drawing from Aristotle, shifts the focus from actions to the moral status of oneself, with the key question being "How should I live?" rather than just "How should I act?". Aristotle argues that the good life, eudaemonia, is achieved through "activity of the soul in accord with virtue," involving the cultivation and expression of virtues like bravery, temperance, wisdom, and generosity. These virtues are often seen as a mean between extremes. Contemporary virtue ethicists find the grounding of flourishing in naturalist conceptions of human nature rather than a cosmic telos. Socrates also considered the question of how best to live, linking the good life to understanding and practicing virtues like justice, honor, and courage. Plato, through Socrates, contended that the good life is achieved through knowledge, particularly knowledge of what harms and benefits us and others, and knowledge of good and evil, ultimately advocating for a life of righteousness and virtue. Todd May, in "A Fragile Life: Accepting Our Vulnerability," shifts the focus to how we might live with the inherent uncertainties and vulnerabilities of life without seeking invulnerability or succumbing to their burdens. He suggests that living vulnerably might be a task of integrating grief, failure, limitations, and the weight of the past into our lives. In "A Significant Life," May further examines the question by exploring the criteria for a meaningful life beyond mere happiness. He raises the question of the relationship between meaningfulness and moral goodness, asking if a meaningful life must also be a good one. The reflection on meaning helps us confront the trajectory of our lives and their significance, especially without relying on cosmic support. Magnus Englander, in "Empathy and Ethics," also touches on this, suggesting that the aspiration to live a meaningful life is intertwined with the aspiration that others do as well, particularly in an intersubjective world marked by vulnerability and potential violence. The role of "care" is highlighted by Todd May in his book of the same name, suggesting it as a potential virtue within an Aristotelian framework. While traditional virtue ethics might seem individualistic, May points out the relational aspect of care ethics, which focuses on social relations and the practices that sustain them. He argues that care, in its various forms, profoundly ties us to the world, revealing who we are through our engagement with particular things and people. William Marsiglio, in "Chasing We-ness," introduces the concept of "we-ness," which involves considering our long-term collective future and our intergenerational responsibility. He emphasizes the moral standing of human beings and our cooperative potential, advocating for an "imaginative compassion" that extends to future generations. However, he also notes the complexities of pursuing we-ness, especially when it comes at the expense of others. The inevitability of death and how we should live in its face is explored by Todd May in "Death (The Art of Living)". He argues that the fragility of life, underscored by our mortality, is the very condition in which our lives gain meaning. The question is not whether we can live with this fragility, but how we choose to navigate this fundamental aspect of our existence. Magnus Englander also discusses the limitations of empathy in providing a complete ethical framework, suggesting that "engagement" with the world and others might be more crucial. Steven Pinker, in "Enlightenment Now," argues that human nature contains the seeds of its own improvement through the development of norms and institutions that channel parochial interests into universal ones, suggesting a path towards better treatment of each other. T.Z. Lavine, in "From Socrates to Sartre," emphasizes that asking questions like "What does it mean to be moral, to live a good life?" is intrinsic to being human. He highlights the enduring relevance of these philosophical inquiries. Hans-Georg Gadamer, in "Gadamer: A Philosophical Portrait," discusses theory as a form of practice, emphasizing the importance of acting in solidarity and striving for the common good. He suggests that human practice transcends mere survival and is characterized by our capacity for language and deliberation on shared goals. Bertrand Russell, in "History of Western Philosophy," presents different ethical and political perspectives on the ideal community, raising the question of whether it is morally satisfactory for the best things in life to be confined to a few. [[Roman Krznaric's How Should We Live]] argues for drawing lessons from history to address the modern urgency of this question. He suggests that exploring how people lived in different epochs and cultures can offer insights into challenges related to work, relationships, and ethical living. Michael Schur, in "How to Be Perfect," acknowledges the complexity of ethical dilemmas and suggests that applying various ethical theories can guide us, even if definitive answers are not always attainable. He emphasizes the need to act and choose, even when faced with uncertainty. Schur also highlights the importance of recognizing our relative luck and doing a little extra to help others. Immanuel Kant's ethical framework, discussed in "Immanuel Kant - Key Concepts," emphasizes duties of virtue determined by principles that withstand the "Contradiction in the Will" test. Aristotle, in "The Politics," outlines the conditions for an ideal community that fosters the happiness of its citizens, emphasizing the need for leisure to cultivate virtue and engage in civic activities. Robert Nozick, in "Imperfect Ideal: Utopian and Dystopian Narratives," discusses the framework for utopia, suggesting that it should allow for a diversity of communities that individuals can voluntarily choose to live in. Marcus Aurelius, as presented in "Marcus Aurelius: A Guide for the Perplexed," suggests that we should prize our capacity to live truthfully and rightly, be patient with others, and strive to perfect our moral character, focusing on what is within our control. "Philosophy in Minutes" reiterates the central concern of moral philosophy with the "good life" (eudaimonia) and the various schools of thought that emerged on how to achieve it, including virtue, pleasure, and acceptance. Jon Mandle, in "Rawls's 'A Theory of Justice'," discusses the congruence between a person's conception of the good and their sense of justice, suggesting that in a well-ordered society, individuals will want to maintain their sense of justice. He also mentions the idea of conducting fundamental discussions based on values that others can reasonably be expected to endorse. T.M. Scanlon, in "What We Owe to Each Other," proposes that respecting the value of human (rational) life requires us to treat rational creatures only in ways that would be allowed by principles they could not reasonably reject. Joseph Goldstein, in "Seeking the Heart of Wisdom," emphasizes the importance of conscious conduct or virtue as a foundation for spiritual practice and the development of a settled mind and open heart. Todd May, in "Should We Go Extinct?," contemplates the value of human existence and whether we should strive for its continuation, suggesting that even if we cannot definitively justify it, we can focus on making our continued existence better. Jay Williams, in "Signature Derrida," touches on the ethical considerations of responding to others and the complexities of communication and responsibility. Neil deGrasse Tyson, in "Starry Messenger," highlights the importance of tolerance for differing views in a working democracy and the dangers of suppressing dissent. "The Analects of Confucius" offers practical wisdom, such as prioritizing the work of virtue over gains, focusing on self-improvement, and cultivating love and understanding for others. Ruha Benjamin, in "Viral Justice," encourages us to question inherited roles and narratives and to actively work towards creating a different, more just world, starting from where we are. Thich Nhat Hanh, in "Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet," emphasizes that how we live is a matter of how we want to be, with "doing" being a way of "being". He stresses the importance of mindfulness, joy, and compassion in our daily lives and work, advocating for a balance that avoids burnout. He also highlights the value of community, sharing, ethical principles, and mindful communication. Finally, "The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy" refers to Plato's challenge of justifying the morally good life, even when an immoral life might seem more rewarding. Charles Eisenstein, in "The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is Possible," critiques the "Story of Separation" and suggests a transition to a new story that addresses deeper questions of meaning and connection. Joseph Campbell, in "The Power of Myth," suggests that myths serve to bring us to a spiritual level of consciousness. "The Ultimate South Park and Philosophy" underscores the complexity of life's big questions, contrasting it with the simplicity of fundamentalist thinking. And "Truth and Eros: Foucault, Lacan and The Question of Ethics" suggests focusing on what is "desirable" about our mode of existence and the "beauty" of a free existence beyond pre-existing orders. Habermas's theory, as discussed in "The History and Ethics of Authenticity," emphasizes communicative rationality and the importance of resisting the colonization of the lifeworld by instrumental rationality to live authentically. Zygmunt Bauman, in "The Individualized Society," notes that modern society, while offering freedom, can also lead to a "toothless" critique that doesn't challenge the underlying conditions. In summary, the sources suggest that "How should we live?" is a multifaceted question with no single answer. It involves striving for decency in our interactions, cultivating virtues for personal flourishing, accepting our vulnerability, seeking meaning beyond ourselves, caring for others and the world, engaging civically, and continuously reflecting on our values and actions. The journey of finding how to live well is an ongoing process of self-discovery, ethical engagement, and striving for a better shared existence.