Successor site to the Philosophy of Happiness blog (http://philoshap.blogspot.com/) that supported PHIL 3160 at MTSU, 2011-2019. The course returns Fall 2025.
PHIL 3160 – Philosophy of Happiness
What is it, how can we best pursue it, why should we? Supporting the study of these and related questions at Middle Tennessee State University and beyond. "Examining the concept of human happiness and its application in everyday living as discussed since antiquity by philosophers, psychologists, writers, spiritual leaders, and contributors to pop culture."
Saturday, January 8, 2022
A capacity for happiness
“Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed.” (Margaret) Storm Jameson
I like her Montaigne quote about quotes: WHEN I QUOTE OTHERS I DO SO IN ORDER TO EXPRESS MY OWN IDEAS MORE CLEARLY. -MICHEL DE MONTAIGNE
And: Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder… Thoreau
And of course: Happiness is a warm puppy. Charles Schulz
To be happy, it first takes being comfortable being in your own shoes. The rest can work up from there. The hardest situation to stay happy in, I think, is when you’re trying to find love, and yourself at the same time. It just doesn’t seem to fit well. So I believe that happiness is being able to wake up and just know that this is what you wanted, and not what somebody else wanted. Sophia Bush Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence…(and)…To live happily is an inward power of the soul. Aristotle We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. Frederick Keonig The amount of happiness that you have depends on the amount of freedom you have in your heart. Thich Nhat Hanh Happiness, it seems to me, consists of two things: first, in being where you belong, and second — and best — in comfortably going through everyday life, that is, having had a good night’s sleep and not being hurt by new shoes. Happiness comes from spiritual wealth, not material wealth… Happiness comes from giving, not getting. If we try hard to bring happiness to others, we cannot stop it from coming to us also. To get joy, we must give it, and to keep joy, we must scatter it. John Templeton Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it. Mary Baker Eddy The supreme happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved — loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves. Victor Hugo Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling. Margaret Lee Runbeck Happiness is not in our circumstance but in ourselves. It is not something we see, like a rainbow, or feel, like the heat of a fire. Happiness is something we are John B. Sheerin Think of all the beauty that’s still left in and around you and be happy! Anne Frank
The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. Allan K. Chalmers Most people would rather be certain they’re miserable, than risk being happy. Robert Anthony Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action. Benjamin Disraeli When I meet people from other cultures I know that they too want happiness and do not want suffering, this allows me to see them as brothers and sisters. Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso Remember that happiness is a way of travel — not a destination. Roy M. Goodman Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go. Oscar Wilde A string of excited, fugitive, miscellaneous pleasures is not happiness; happiness resides in imaginative reflection and judgment, when the picture of one’s life, or of human life, as it truly has been or is, satisfies the will, and is gladly accepted. George Santayana The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature. Marcus Aurelius We all want to be happy, and we’re all going to die. You might say those are the only two unchallengeably true facts that apply to every human being on this planet. William Boyd There are two ways of being happy: We must either diminish our wants or augment our means — either may do — the result is the same and it is for each man to decide for himself and to do that which happens to be easier. Benjamin Franklin Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder… Thoreau Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude. Denis Waitley
Remember that it is nothing to do your duty, that is demanded of you and is no more meritorious than to wash your hands when they are dirty; the only thing that counts is the love of duty; when love and duty are one, then grace is in you and you will enjoy a happiness which passes all understanding. W. Somerset Maugham It doesn’t matter how long we may have been stuck in a sense of our limitations. If we go into a darkened room and turn on the light, it doesn’t matter if the room has been dark for a day, a week, or ten thousand years – we turn on the light and it is illuminated. Once we control our capacity for love and happiness, the light has been turned on. Sharon Salzberg Each of us may think we know exactly what we need to make us happy, what will be good for us, what will ensure we have our happy ending, but that life rarely works out in the way we expect, and that our happy ending may have all sorts of unexpected twists and turns, be shaped in all sorts of unexpected ways. Jane Green The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet. Julius Robert Oppenheimer Doing what you like is freedom, liking what you do is happiness. Uknown
This quote and many others are featured here: https://ashleysquotes.wordpress.com/cute-life-quotes/happiness/
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gary.
ReplyDeleteI like her Montaigne quote about quotes: WHEN I QUOTE OTHERS I DO SO IN ORDER TO EXPRESS MY OWN IDEAS MORE CLEARLY. -MICHEL DE MONTAIGNE
And: Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder…
Thoreau
And of course: Happiness is a warm puppy.
Charles Schulz
These were my favorite quotes:
ReplyDeleteTo be happy, it first takes being comfortable being in your own shoes. The rest can work up from there. The hardest situation to stay happy in, I think, is when you’re trying to find love, and yourself at the same time. It just doesn’t seem to fit well. So I believe that happiness is being able to wake up and just know that this is what you wanted, and not what somebody else wanted.
Sophia Bush
Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence…(and)…To live happily is an inward power of the soul.
Aristotle
We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.
Frederick Keonig
The amount of happiness that you have depends on the amount of freedom you have in your heart.
Thich Nhat Hanh
Happiness, it seems to me, consists of two things: first, in being where you belong, and second — and best — in comfortably going through everyday life, that is, having had a good night’s sleep and not being hurt by new shoes.
Happiness comes from spiritual wealth, not material wealth… Happiness comes from giving, not getting. If we try hard to bring happiness to others, we cannot stop it from coming to us also. To get joy, we must give it, and to keep joy, we must scatter it.
John Templeton
Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it.
Mary Baker Eddy
The supreme happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved — loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.
Victor Hugo
Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.
Margaret Lee Runbeck
Happiness is not in our circumstance but in ourselves. It is not something we see, like a rainbow, or feel, like the heat of a fire. Happiness is something we are
John B. Sheerin
Think of all the beauty that’s still left in and around you and be happy!
Anne Frank
Along with these:
ReplyDeleteThe Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to
hope for.
Allan K. Chalmers
Most people would rather be certain they’re miserable, than risk being happy.
Robert Anthony
Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.
Benjamin Disraeli
When I meet people from other cultures I know that they too want happiness and do not want suffering, this allows me to see them as brothers and sisters.
Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso
Remember that happiness is a way of travel — not a destination.
Roy M. Goodman
Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.
Oscar Wilde
A string of excited, fugitive, miscellaneous pleasures is not happiness; happiness resides in imaginative reflection and judgment, when the picture of one’s life, or of human life, as it truly has been or is, satisfies the will, and is gladly accepted.
George Santayana
The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.
Marcus Aurelius
We all want to be happy, and we’re all going to die. You might say those are the only two unchallengeably true facts that apply to every human being on this planet.
William Boyd
There are two ways of being happy: We must either diminish our wants or augment our means — either may do — the result is the same and it is for each man to decide for himself and to do that which happens to be easier.
Benjamin Franklin
Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder…
Thoreau
Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.
Denis Waitley
And finally these:
ReplyDeleteRemember that it is nothing to do your duty, that is demanded of you and is no more meritorious than to wash your hands when they are dirty; the only thing that counts is the love of duty; when love and duty are one, then grace is in you and you will enjoy a happiness which passes all understanding.
W. Somerset Maugham
It doesn’t matter how long we may have been stuck in a sense of our limitations. If we go into a darkened room and turn on the light, it doesn’t matter if the room has been dark for a day, a week, or ten thousand years – we turn on the light and it is illuminated. Once we control our capacity for love and happiness, the light has been turned on.
Sharon Salzberg
Each of us may think we know exactly what we need to make us happy, what will be good for us, what will ensure we have our happy ending, but that life rarely works out in the way we expect, and that our happy ending may have all sorts of unexpected twists and turns, be shaped in all sorts of unexpected ways.
Jane Green
The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet.
Julius Robert Oppenheimer
Doing what you like is freedom, liking what you do is happiness.
Uknown
All of that was a "fun" read!
ReplyDelete