Haybron basically discredits the life satisfaction theory in chapter 3; and even ends the chapter by saying "I just want my kids to be happy might be a little exaggerated. But it sounds a whole lot more compelling than I just want my kids to be satisfied. If you want them to be satisfied, suggest they think of Tiny Tim and count their blessings."
This chapter really made me start to discredit the life satisfaction theory, but for different reasons than he gives; for instance, I feel as though someone could say that they are not satisfied with their life, yet also state that they are happy, despite the dissatisfaction with the overall outcome of their life. For instance someone could be dissatisfied with their life, but happy overall (from the love they feel for their children and grandchildren; and the satisfaction that they see that they have in their lives, despite lacking that satisfaction in their own.
With that being said, I would have to say what's that in order for a life to be deemed good, it should contain both life satisfaction and happiness.
I think you're right, we all have areas of dissatisfaction in our lives that we manage to keep from sabotaging our respective pursuits of happiness. And there are people who are smugly satisfied with lives we'd be hard-pressed to describe as "flourishing"... So a happy life is one with enough (but not total) satisfaction, and a self-avowed satisfied person may or may not be suitably described as happy (especially if we link our conception of happiness to something like Aristotle's eudaimonia).
ReplyDeleteAshley, Jennifer, and Shira, keep on reading and posting... and give some thought to where you want to go next, once you've finished with Haybron. Do you all want to read the same text at the same time? Do you want to go in different directions? Either is fine with me, but I do want to encourage you all to continue reading and commenting on one another's posts.
DeleteI really like how you put that, Dr. Oliver. All very true. You mentioned Aristotle's eudaimonia; should we maybe focus on something like that next? And, I don't know how the two feel; however, I believe that it's best that we continue to read the same things (to better be able to comment on one another's thoughts.) What does everybody else think?
ReplyDeleteAristotle's Ethics: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/8438/8438-h/8438-h.htm
DeleteMy old Happiness blogsite has a bibliography of titles you might want to consider, in the right sidebar under "Library of Happiness"... http://philoshap.blogspot.com/
DeleteMaybe this one- More Than Happiness: Buddhist and Stoic Wisdom for a Sceptical Age; or stoicism a short introduction; or enlightenment?
ReplyDelete