Truth and happiness in an open dialogue: a metaphorical perspective

The ethics of truth and happiness are intertwined in an essential way. We perceive the truth as the foundation of happiness. It is the coming-out-of-hiding of the being towards the guiding light of the inner way. In this article we will present some conceptual benchmarks from Aristotle and Heidegger about “happiness” and “truth” in the key to creating metaphors with high school students, starting from the metaphor of Dante’s circle/sphere from “Paradise”. The use of metaphors in philosophy education is a valuable pedagogical tool, facilitating abstract understanding and promoting critical reflection. By comparing students’ reflections with philosophical works, the analysis underscores the effectiveness of metaphors in making abstract philosophical concepts more accessible and meaningful to learners.