What I Require From Life J.B.S.Haldane

English Literature

What I Require From Life

J.B.S.Haldane

Summary

In the essay "What i require from life" Haldane begins his essay by saying that he has to accept the universe as it is. He must not require the impossible. According to him, he was born in a peaceful age but in his youth as he had been living in a heroic age he says he must try to make the best of time in which he live .He then sets out a few of the things which he personally wants out of life. According to him, he has four major requirements

His first requirement is work with a decent wage which is hard but interesting of which he can see fruits.His second requirement is freedom which he enjoys vastly but still need more, particularly, freedom of speech.His third requirement is health good enough to be fit for work .His fourth requirement is friendship of equals who criticize him and whom he can criticize.

These four things he considers as general human need and for him he also demands adventure.There are also other things which he desire for but do not demand.He like to have his own room with books good tobacco a motor-car and daily bath.He wants to see every healthy individual on planet at work and workers to see the fruit of their own work and also them controlling the industry.He wants to see every human as healthy as possible and want to see the end of class subjection and sex subjection.

He says he is a socialist as he want to see every fellow humans enjoying the same advantages he enjoy. Also he says he lacks certain things in life like peace and security as Fascism was a reality at that time which implied war as proved by Hitler and Mussolini.

Also Haldane says there are many thing he would desire to see like spread of education and increased application of scientific methods in all branches of life.To sum up for himself he require food, warmth,work, liberty , health and friendship and for the society he lives he require socialism.

Supplementary to his requirements of life are his requirements of death and says though he is envious of Socrates death, he feels he will be fortunate if he can achieve at least two conditions of Socrates so that his friends will not pity him.

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Question and answers

1.What is Aristotle's definition of happiness?

Aristotle defined happiness as not as a sum of all pleasures, but as unimpeded activity.

2.What are the four general requirements of life?

According to the author the four general requirements of life are work, freedom, health and friendship.

3.Name the requirements that are lacking in narrator's list.Why?

The requirements that are lacking in narrator's list are peace and security as war was spreading at that time.

4.What does fascism imply according to Hitler and Mussolini?

According to Hitler and Mussolini fascism implies war as they state and prove by their actions.

5.Why is the author envious of Socrates death?

The author is envious of Socrates death because Socrates died for his convictions when he could easily have survived by betraying them.He died at the age of seventy, still in full possession of his faculties, but having completed all the work which he could necessarily hope to do.

6.How does socialism benefit everyone?

Socialism benefits everyone as it gives the same advantages to everyone equally and always look for for the welfare of everyone.

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Answer in a paragraph

1.Give reasons why narrator calls himself a socialist

The narrator calls himself a socialist because he thinks unemployment is an essential feature of capitalism..He want the workers to see the fruit of their own work for their own and their friends well-being. He calls himself a socialist because he want to see his fellow men and women enjoying the advantages which he enjoy by himself.Though he know that capitalism will not confer these advantages in an instant he wants to see capitalism overthrown and workers in power throughout Europe.

2.Explain the personal desires of the narrator.

There are also other things which he desire for but do not demand.He like to have his own room with books good tobacco a motor-car and a daily bath.He likes to have a garden, a bathing-pool, a beach, or a river within easy reach.He wants to see every healthy individual on planet at work and workers to see the fruit of their own work and also them controlling the industry.He wants to see every human as healthy as possible and want to see the end of class subjection and sex subjection.

Answer the following in a page or two

1.Briefly explain the requirements of life as suggested by the author?

In the essay "What i require from life Haldane . He then sets out a few of the things which he personally wants out of life.According to him, he has four major requirements

His first requirement is work with a decent wage for his work.He wants work which is hard but interesting, work of which he can see the fruits. He says he is exceptionally lucky as he can choose his own work to a large extent.

His second requirement is freedom which he enjoys vastly more than other people. But he still need more, particularly, more freedom of speech.He would like to write and say what he thinks about Lord Blank's newspapers.Mr.Dash's pills.and Sir John Asterisk's beer , all of which are poisonous.The law of libel has prevented him from doing so.

His third requirement is health . He don't mind an occasional toothache or headache or even an acute illness every seven years or so.But he wants to be fit for work and enjoyment in the intervals and to die when he can work no longer.

His fourth requirement is friendship.He requires the friendship particularly of his colleagues and comrades in scientific and political work. He wants the society of equals who will criticize him and whom he can criticize. He cannot be friends with a person whose orders he have to obey or with one who has to obey his orders in a similar way.Also he finds friendship with people much richer or poorer than himself very difficult.

These four things he considers as general human need .

2.Life without danger would be like beef without mustard".Elaborate.

Haldane says for himself he also demand adventure apart from general human needs.He craves for adventure even though it comes with a risk. According to him, "Life without danger would be like beef without mustard".The author believes that adventure is not only about emotions but also about satisfaction in performing a creative activity.But since his life is useful he feels it would be wrong to risk it for the mere sake of risk,as by mountaineering or motor-racing.As a physiologist he could try experiments on himself,and he can also participate in wars and revolutions of which he approve.

Haldane says that by love of adventure he does not mean love of thrills.He spent six weeks in Madrid during the recent siege and the only thrill that he got there was from reading Rimbaud's poetry.Haldane says that the satisfaction of adventure is something much more than a thrill.Though he craves for adventure he fully realize that peace and security are rightful aims and that his own desire for violent adventure is probably merely an adaption to age in which he live.He says he is a child of his age and all the worse for being one.He therefore demands security rather than adventure for others.