lesson 10-11

• HAPPINESS

  • Can be a state of mind
  • Evaluation of one ’ s experiences in life
• Eudaimonia


  Ancient Greeks used the term “ eudaimonia ” (good spirit) to refer to a person ’ s state of well-being or happiness
• Plato


  he equates happiness with living a moral life, practicing virtues, fulfilling one ’ s duties and controlling one ’ s desires
• aristotle


  defines happiness as the primary reason of human action, and one becomes happy through the practice of virtues and the accumulation of achievements
• epicureans


  happiness means a life of peace free from fear and discomfort
• st. augustine and st. thomas aquinas


  define happiness as a union with God.
• OTHER CONCEPTS RELATED TO HAPPINESS

  • Utiltarianism
  • Contemporary Philosophers
  • Wladyslaw Tatarkiewicz
  • Richard Brandt
  • Wayne Sumner
• Utilitarianism


  proposed the greatest happiness principle
• Contemporary philosophers


  approached happiness in terms of Whole Life Satisfaction
• Wladyslaw Tatarkiewicz


  satisfaction with one ’ s life as a whole
• Richard Brandt


  happiness as a total life pattern
• Wayne Sumner


  happiness in cognitive and emotional/affective sides
• Happiness as a well-being has three elements:

  • Contentment
  • Dignity
  • Welfare
• The significance of happiness as a measure of life satisfaction is also recognized by the social sciences
• Psychologists

  • define happiness as a balance between a person’s emotions, moods, and feelings.
  • emphasize examining and understanding one’s own thoughts, feelings, and experiences to avoid negative thoughts and reevaluate negative experiences
• Support system matters.

  Maintaining balance between activities.

  Having a sense of purpose and engaging in meaningful activities.
• CONTENTMENT


  Overall Satisfaction
• DIGNITY


  Ability to control and define your destiny to enjoy life
• WELFARE


  Satisfaction with wants and desires
• Economists


  use socioeconomic data to define happiness and well-being in numerical terms giving rise to various statistics such as the Gross National Happiness Index and Gross National Well-being Index
• Ethics

  plays a significant role in discussing happiness and the means to achieve it.
• Aristotle


  proposes that to achieve happiness, a person must plan his/her activities and form a set of life goals to achieve a worthwhile life.
• Epicureans


  believe that happiness is possible if one enjoys the simple pleasures of life and commits to a life of virtue. The desire for wealth and status are merely artificial goals.
• St. Augustine


  He believes that happiness can be found in the afterlife when the spirit reunites with God. It is important for a Christian to live a life of virtue because it sets us on a road toward achieving happiness.
• Jeremy Bentham


  He believes that happiness is achieved through wise decision-making. One must exercise careful thought in engaging in activities, and should only pursue those that are most worthwhile to society.
• Immanuel Kant


  achieving happiness is impossible because of the everchanging nature of man ’ s desires. Human actions should not be defined by happiness but rather goodwill, meaning one is fulfilling his/her duties toward others.