From the recording Being Well

The album closes with, “For Its Own Sake,” a celebration of virtue ethics (Aristotle and Nussbaum). Fulfilling one’s function means being fully authentic: “I’m doing the best I can, being all that I am.” Authentic activity is pursued “for its own sake,” and positive feelings are merely a byproduct. This moves from mere psychological subjective well-being to something like objective flourishing. As Aristotle argues, eudaimonia (happiness/flourishing) is the only true end in itself. This final track synthesizes the preceding explorations into a call to action—happiness as the virtue of being well.

Lyrics

Feels right, cause it is
A reason to live
In order to give
All that I am

I’m somewhere between
Foolish extremes
I’m finding the mean
And giving a damn

Tectonic plates
Causing earthquakes
My mind realigns all the time
For its own sake

Spotlights will shine
On the feelings I find
But I do what’s right for myself
For its own sake

I’m doing the best I can
Being all that I am
Doing the best I can

All for its own sake

I know how it felt
Like the end in itself
Held for as long
As I want to go on with it

I’m in between
Foolish extremes
Finding the mean
I want to go on with it

I’m doing the best I can
Being all that I am
Doing the best I can

I want to go on with it

I’m doing the best I can
Being all that I am
Doing the best I can

I want to go on with it
I want to go on with it
Want to go on with it
I want to go on with it