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."

Up@dawn 2.0

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Questions OCT 16

  1. How did the "Against Happiness" authors/editors begin the project of this book? Of what is it an assessment? What are their goals?
  2. Do you agree with Emerson about the purpose of life?
  3. Why should we be humble about happiness as a goal? What's WEIRD? 3-4
  4. What's missing from the way social sciences currently conceive of happiness? 10-11
  5. What concept is "much more capacious" than happiness? 16 Do you agree that "there is no kind of happiness that everyone wants"? 17
  6. In April 2022 the CDC reported what about teens? 30 Does this surprise or sadden you? What can be done about it?
  7. What kind of happiness does Martin Seligman promote? 32
  8. Can Callicles be happy? 36
  9. What's the meta-happiness paradox? 41

Awe
…is "the absence of self-preoccupation."

This is especially critical in the age of social media. "We are at this cultural moment of narcissism and self-shame and criticism and entitlement; awe gets us out of that," Dr. Keltner said. It does this by helping us get out of our own heads and "realize our place in the larger context, our communities," he explained.

The good news? Awe is something you can develop, with practice. Here's how…

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Questions OCT 16

How did the "Against Happiness" authors/editors begin the project of this book? Of what is it an assessment? What are their goals?...