Originally Posted by Inuzuka Skysword

Man is an end in himself. Pain and pleasure are experienced personally. He can only be proud in himself because he is, in the end, responsible for his own actions. While he cannot control external forces he certainly can react to them, which therefore makes him partially responsible for his contentment in his position in life. Pleasure, esteem, and contentment with the world are all based on oneself. They all are part of happiness. You cannot be happy and be devoid of pleasure. You cannot be happy without self-esteem. You aren't going to be happy, in the true sense of the word, if you aren't doing all you can do to avoid negative external forces. Happiness is the goal of human existence. It is the emotion of good. If you question that, you are questioning your senses. You have to trust your senses because you can't live as a human being if you don't. You will be stuck in a corner sucking your thumb all your life.

Our own happiness is the goal of morality. Common sense would have us say that making the achievement of our own happiness would lead to our own happiness.