Exam (elaborations)
IELTS Worksheet 7 all Questions & answers solved accurately with Complete Solution Graded A+ latest version
IELTS Worksheet 7 all Questions & answers solved accurately with Complete Solution Graded A+ latest version
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
The What and How of HappinessA variety of biological, psychological, religious, and philosophical approaches have striven
to define happiness and identify its sources.
Philosophers and religious thinkers often define happiness in terms of living a good life, or
flourishing, rather than simply as an emotion. Happiness in this sense was used to
translate the Greek word ‘Eudaimonia’. But while most people would agree that a life of
happiness or flourishing is desirable, the really difficult question is to specify just what sort
of activities enable one to live well.
One important move in Greek philosophy to answer the question of how to achieve
happiness is to bring in another important concept in ancient philosophy, ‘arete’ (virtue).
The philosopher Aristotle, for example, wrote that the good or happy life is one of “virtuous
activity in accordance with reason”. However, it is important to bear in mind that the sense
of ‘virtue’ operative in ancient ethics is not exclusively moral and includes more than states
such as wisdom, courage and compassion. The sense of virtue which ‘arete’ connotes
would include saying something like "speed is a virtue in a horse", or "height is a virtue in a
basketball player". The alternative translation ‘excellence’ might be helpful in conveying
this general meaning of the term to a modern audience. It is also interesting to note that for
Aristotle, ‘eudaimonia' actually requires activity, or action, so that it is not sufficient for a
person to possess an ability or disposition that he or she does not use.
Another Greek philosopher, Epicurus, explained happiness in a different way. Epicurus’
ethical theory is hedonistic. Hedonism is the view that pleasure is the only intrinsic good
and that pain is the only intrinsic bad. He understands happiness as a more or less
continuous experience of pleasure and the freedom from pain and distress. However, it is
important to understand that Epicurus does not advocate the pursuit of any and every
pleasure. Rather, he recommends a policy whereby pleasures are maximised “in the long
run”. Specifically, Epicurus claims that some pleasures are not worth having because they
lead to greater pains, and some pains are worthwhile when they lead to greater pleasures.
The best strategy for attaining a maximal amount of pleasure overall is not to seek instant
gratification but to work out a sensible long term policy.
More recently, writers and thinkers have continued to discuss the pursuit of happiness and
the good life. In the 1930s Abraham Maslow, an American professor of psychology,
created a visual aid to explain his own theory on the subject. The idea, which he called the
‘hierarchy of needs’, is a pyramid depicting the levels of human needs, starting from the
basic need for food and shelter. When a human being ascends the steps of the pyramid,
he reaches self-actualisation.
Since the 1960s, research has produced many different views on causes of happiness,
and on factors that correlate with happiness. Sonja Lyubomirsky concludes in her book
‘The How of Happiness’ that 50 percent of a given human's happiness level is genetically
determined (based on twin studies), 10 percent is affected by life circumstances and
situation, and a remaining 40 percent of happiness is subject to self-control. Leda
Cosmides and John Tooby say that happiness comes from "encountering unexpected
positive events”, while according to Mark Leary, as reported in a November 1995 issue of
Psychology Today, "we are happiest when basking in the acceptance and praise of
others”.
IELTS-Simon’s video course
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller TUTORSON. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for CA$18.19. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
70840 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now