Enlightened Lifestyle and the Happiness of All – Principles of Good Life in an 18th Century Finnish Journal

Authors

• Risto Ikonen Itä-Suomen yliopisto

Abstract

The article deals with the conceptions of education and the ideal of good life as they were presented in the first Finnish periodical, the Åbo Tidningar, during 1771–1808. The text is composed of four main topics. Firstly, the main elements of the journal’s worldview will be briefly described. According to the texts published in the Åbo Tidningar, the world was seen as a thoroughly good place. The evil that people saw in it was either a misinterpretation based on inadequate knowledge or the result of man’s evil deeds and sources of evil. The second part deals with the characteristics of an enlightened lifestyle, which include willingness to learn new things and giving up harmful prejudices. The third topic is happiness and its prerequisites. According to the Åbo Tidningar, true happiness cannot be attained if people are interested in increasing their personal good. The only way to reach permanent happiness is to promote the common good. The whole picture of a good life, as it is represented in the writings, is given in the fourth part of the article. In order to lead a good life, man has to follow the natural order, subdue irrational desires, learn to use his/her reason, and be ready to promote the common good.