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Happiness
- Thread starter Nooj
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GrowingSmaller
Muslm Humanist
Happiness is a state of enjoyment or satisfaction, and it is (in general) preferable to being unhappy because it is experienced as an intrinsic good.
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Thank you. But why do so many people choose happiness over unhappiness? Why not be unhappy?
So much of what we do seems to be done in the pursuit of happiness. Our jobs, possessions, friends, everything. But until recently, I haven't thought about why happiness is so important.
So much of what we do seems to be done in the pursuit of happiness. Our jobs, possessions, friends, everything. But until recently, I haven't thought about why happiness is so important.
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Eudaimonist
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That depends. It has been defined in different ways. What sort of happiness are you talking about?
The Enlightenment philosophers tended to think of happiness as a long series of pleasurable experiences. It was a somewhat hedonistic concept for them.
The eudaimonic tradition views the issue a little differently. Happiness is a life lived successfully. There may be good feelings associated with such a life, but happiness isn't limited to feelings. It is a pattern of worthwhile activities.
If you are speaking of the hedonistic version, this is certainly a good question. The best that can be said is that happiness feels preferable to unhappiness because it is a product of pleasurable activities. It's like asking why someone prefers chocolate ice cream to vanilla if chocolate tastes better.
However, just because something is pleasurable, that doesn't mean that it is automatically wise to pursue that value. It may be desired without being desirable. For instance, one may discover that a pleasurable activity will lead to self-destructive behavior. (While a long-range hedonism may address this issue, there are other ways to understand the problem.)
If we consider the eudaimonic tradition, happiness is preferable specifically when the values one prefers are those that lead to personal flourishing. Happiness in this sense is tied to one's well-being, and not merely to desire or pleasure. One way that I have seen this put is that eudaimonic happiness isn't about pursuing what one desires, but pursuing right desire -- desires that one needs to pursue.
eudaimonia,
Mark
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GrowingSmaller
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Because it is generally experienced as such, it's part of it's "phenomenology".
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GrowingSmaller
Muslm Humanist
Thanks for that, I have an idea but not certainty on this issue. I am reminded of recent movie "A picture of Dorian Gray."
When comparing enlightened hedonism or utilitarianism and eudaimonism I am reminded of the "one destination, many paths" metaphor.
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Eudaimonist
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I am not. The destinations might all be on the same continent, but that doesn't make them the same destinations.
eudaimonia,
Mark
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brightlights
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"What is happiness" is the question that every worldview seeks to answer, so you won't get much congruence here.
As for "why happy?" Well...have you ever been happy?
As for "why happy?" Well...have you ever been happy?
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Eudaimonist
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What makes people the happiest? [...]
Study finds autonomy, competence, relatedness and self-esteem at top of list of psychological needs
What makes people the happiest? Researchers say it's not money or popularity
This is so close to my own philosophical perspective and spiritual path it's uncanny!
eudaimonia,
Mark
Study finds autonomy, competence, relatedness and self-esteem at top of list of psychological needs
What makes people the happiest? Researchers say it's not money or popularity
This is so close to my own philosophical perspective and spiritual path it's uncanny!
eudaimonia,
Mark
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sandwiches
Mas sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo.
Very generally, I would say that it's a good feeling. Preference is just that, preference. If you prefer being unhappy (aka feeling bad) then that's your prerogative.
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Crusader05
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Why be happy? Happiness generally brings many advantages for the person and society. Happy people are usually healthier, more successful and treat other's better. All of which are things which carry evolutionary benefits.
As others have stated happiness isn't hedonism, it isn't constant indulgance or allways walking around with a warm-fuzzy. Happiness is being satisfied and appreictive of what you have in life.
As others have stated happiness isn't hedonism, it isn't constant indulgance or allways walking around with a warm-fuzzy. Happiness is being satisfied and appreictive of what you have in life.
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Why do evolutionary benefits matter?
I have to pursue my line of questioning to its end: why should a person care about personal flourishing and well-being?
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Eudaimonist
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Why care about well-being? Because it is your good. It is in your best-interests. There is no deeper justification. It is the rock-bottom justification. It is fundamentally what caring is for.
Ask yourself what you are really asking when you wonder what you should care about. This is equivalent to asking: "What good is X to me? Why should I prioritize X over ~X?"
Well-being is what is good for you. It is the basic answer to any question: "What should I care about?"
Flourishing is the form of the good for a human being. Whatever is said about flourishing is the manifestation of this good. This requires an understanding of human nature and its needs/requirements, and flourishing is the activity where one functions properly to fulfill those needs. So, at this point, we aren't talking about deeper "shoulds", but rather the facts that give rise to the whole issue of "shoulds".
This, I think, is what trips people up. They think that ethical justifications can lead endlessly down like those elephants. They can't, and don't need to do so anyway. They lead only to an understanding of what is good for oneself. From that point on down the issue is about the facts that allow one to understand what is good in relation to one's existence as a human being -- in other words, to understand needs and what specifically they are.
eudaimonia,
Mark
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Because pursuing happiness is the attempt to change undesired states to desired/preferred ones.
Asking why preferable states are being preferred is kind of odd.
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Nooj, I don´t seem to understand why this is a "should" question for you.
As far as I can tell nobody needs to be told that they should pursue happiness. It´s one of the few thing humans simply do from the very first moment of their lives.
Why do you ask questions? Why do you want answers? Naturally, I would assume that that´s one of your strategies of pursuing happiness. Correct me if I am wrong.
As far as I can tell nobody needs to be told that they should pursue happiness. It´s one of the few thing humans simply do from the very first moment of their lives.
Why do you ask questions? Why do you want answers? Naturally, I would assume that that´s one of your strategies of pursuing happiness. Correct me if I am wrong.
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It just seems all so pointless.
For example, the kinds of activities I do are determined by whether it will make me happy. But that happiness is fleeting. Not that I have anything against the transitoriness of experiences per se. I'm not one of those people who think that something must be infinite in length to have meaning. The important thing is that I'll soon be unhappy, and I'll try to be happy again. It's a cycle that I'm getting tired of. I think it's because I want (or need) to be happy. But if I just don't care about happiness or unhappiness, then I don't have to play this game.
At least that's how I'm thinking about it. I try not to do things with happiness or unhappiness in mind. It's very hard to put into practice.
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