For me, the only sources of moral values are the pursuit of

In a voice at once contemplative and radiant, Matthew Stewart, the philosopher and writer, once declared: “For me, the only sources of moral values are the pursuit of understanding and the pursuit of happiness.” These words, though simple in form, hold within them the power of entire philosophies. They speak not of rigid commandments handed down by authority, but of a living morality — one that arises from the twin flames of wisdom and joy. In Stewart’s view, to be moral is not to obey blindly, but to awaken; not to deny life, but to embrace it with awareness and compassion.

The origin of this thought lies in Stewart’s lifelong study of Enlightenment philosophy, especially that of Spinoza and Epicurus, those ancient masters who sought truth not through faith in fear, but through reason and love of life. From Spinoza came the vision that understanding — the clear perception of reality — is the highest virtue, for ignorance breeds hatred and bondage. From Epicurus came the teaching that happiness, rightly understood, is not indulgence but harmony — the peace that comes when desire is tempered by wisdom. Stewart, standing upon this lineage, unites them: that the moral life is one in which the mind seeks truth and the heart seeks joy, and both find their fulfillment in freedom.

To say that understanding is a source of moral value is to declare that knowledge awakens empathy. For how can we judge justly if we do not first comprehend? Ignorance blinds, while understanding opens the eyes of the soul. When one learns the causes of suffering, one ceases to hate and begins to heal. The philosopher, the scientist, and the artist alike walk this sacred path — not to dominate the world, but to illuminate it. In every age, progress in understanding has widened the circle of compassion: it has taught us that all beings share the same breath of existence. Thus, the pursuit of knowledge is not cold intellect, but an act of love — the mind’s devotion to truth.

Likewise, the pursuit of happiness is no trivial craving for pleasure. It is the striving for wholeness, the alignment of one’s inner nature with the harmony of the world. The ancients called it eudaimonia — the flourishing of the soul. It is found not in excess, but in balance; not in power, but in peace. A person who seeks true happiness does not steal, for joy cannot be taken by force. They do not harm, for happiness grows in the soil of goodwill. Thus, in seeking happiness rightly, one becomes moral without need of decree — for joy and virtue are born of the same root: the love of life.

Consider the example of Albert Einstein, who embodied this union of understanding and joy. His genius was not only in equations but in spirit. He once said, “I have no special talents; I am only passionately curious.” Through curiosity — the pursuit of understanding — he unlocked secrets of the cosmos. Yet his humility, humor, and reverence for beauty revealed that he also pursued happiness. He loved music, peace, and wonder. From this balance flowed his morality: a deep compassion for humanity, a commitment to truth, and a rejection of hatred. His life reminds us that moral greatness arises not from fear of punishment or hope of reward, but from the harmony of intellect and heart.

In these words of Stewart lies a challenge to those who would separate wisdom from joy, or morality from freedom. For too long, humankind has sought virtue in renunciation, as though goodness required the denial of happiness. But the wise know that happiness and morality are not enemies; they are reflections of the same divine light. The more one understands life, the more one reveres it; the more one finds joy in existence, the more one cherishes the well-being of others. The path of the good, then, is not the road of guilt or fear, but of illumination — of living fully, mind awake and heart open.

Let this, then, be the teaching passed to those who come after: cultivate both understanding and happiness, for they are the twin pillars of a moral life. Seek to know the truth, even when it is difficult; seek to rejoice in life, even when it is uncertain. Study deeply, but also love deeply. Ask not “What should I believe?” but “What helps me see and love more clearly?” In this way, you will walk the path of the sages, where knowledge becomes kindness, and happiness becomes holiness.

For as Matthew Stewart reminds us, morality is not written in stone, but in the living soul of every human being. When the mind pursues truth and the heart pursues joy, life itself becomes the highest moral act — and in that sacred balance, both wisdom and happiness find their eternal home.