Abstract

Eros, pleasure, and friendships are, for me, three of the most important things to investigate in an effort to live a good life. Careful as we may be, there is no guarantee that we will live a good life. Catastrophes lurk, but often we are our own worst enemies. We often fail to consider what really matters to us. The story of King Croesus reminds us that even the lives of the wealthy and powerful often end in tragedy. Audre Lorde died of cancer when she was only 58, but lived a life embracing the erotic, and surrounded by many friends. Unable to reveal the truth of eros, pleasure, friendship, I can explore how a wide variety of thinkers from many traditions have understood what are for me the keys to the good life. My hope is that as I survey what others have said, my readers can form their own views of eros, pleasure, friendship, and what they think will make their life good.