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."
This actually brings up something I've thought a lot about: what is there to learn from animals, and specifically as it pertains to happiness and existence.
ReplyDeleteDo animals get existential dread? Do they understand death? And on a sociological level, do animals deserve a 'pursuit of happiness?' To me they hardly seem to pursue it, they are just happy when certain conditions are met like resources and social contact (if they're social animals). Are we like that too? A tendency towards happiness given needs being met and nothing else?
I think of philosophers like Deleuze and Bataille: Deleuze even having the concept of becoming-animal.
This was an incredibly wholesome post that genuinely improved my day. On top of that, it reinforced the notion to me that I need a dog. I couldn't get the page to load, so I'm not positive, but I think I know the dog in the post. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but that's the "stompy stomp" dog on Tiktok, right?
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I think this is as good of a time as any to post my appreciation for pets in general. I tell people all the time that my cats, especially my long haired cat Anchovie (I play favorites, I know, I'm terrible) are the light of my life. They're excited to see me, they just want to be around me, they seem happy when I'm around. Sometimes it's astounding to me that we are so lucky to have creatures like this in our lives.
As the cliche says, we don't deserve them.
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