1. Philosophy in Fall: What is Happiness? Feraco-EberleSFHP 7 November 2008

2. The Question Series What is Choice? – √ What is Choice? – √ What is Morality? - √ What is Morality? - √ What is Happiness? What is Happiness? What is the Soul? What is the Soul? What is Death? What is Death? What is the Meaning of Life? What is the Meaning of Life? My Philosophy (Rough Draft + Final Draft) My Philosophy (Rough Draft + Final Draft)

3. What is Happiness? Look at the Stars Look at the Stars Return of the Quotes Return of the Quotes The Teleological Approach to Goodness (and Happiness!) The Teleological Approach to Goodness (and Happiness!) Deontology vs. Teleology – Which One Will You Choose? Deontology vs. Teleology – Which One Will You Choose? Becoming Worthy of Happiness Becoming Worthy of Happiness The Pursuit of Happiness Everything is Connected – For Better or Worse Why Do We Sabotage Ourselves? “I Have Known Bruises…” The Writing Assignment

6. Return of the Quote Morality is not properly the doctrine of how we may make ourselves happy, but how we may make ourselves worthy of happiness. Morality is not properly the doctrine of how we may make ourselves happy, but how we may make ourselves worthy of happiness. Immanuel Kant We are always getting ready to live but never living. We are always getting ready to live but never living. Ralph Waldo Emerson Is Emerson wise to value experience over goals? How separable are the two? Is Emerson wise to value experience over goals? How separable are the two? Is Kant right? Is Kant right?

7. Aristotle and Goodness Aristotle – one of our great minds – took what we call a teleological approach to “good” Aristotle – one of our great minds – took what we call a teleological approach to “good” Telos: Greek – meanings vary from “bullseye” and “goal” to “purpose” Telos: Greek – meanings vary from “bullseye” and “goal” to “purpose” To him, something was good when it “fulfilled its destiny” – when it completed a goal, when it lives up to the expectations that led to its importance to begin with To him, something was good when it “fulfilled its destiny” – when it completed a goal, when it lives up to the expectations that led to its importance to begin with If I tell you that I plan to teach about a “good book,” I’m really signaling to you that the book satisfies my criteria for goodness. If I tell you that I plan to teach about a “good book,” I’m really signaling to you that the book satisfies my criteria for goodness. Perhaps I’ve decided it’s a “good book” because I believe books have to contain exciting moments in order to be good (and it has them), or because I decided that good books need interesting characters (and it has them) Perhaps I’ve decided it’s a “good book” because I believe books have to contain exciting moments in order to be good (and it has them), or because I decided that good books need interesting characters (and it has them) However, if you believe that “good” books have to have a predictable story/an ending that “doesn’t make you think” (which it doesn’t have), however, you won’t think the book is very good at all However, if you believe that “good” books have to have a predictable story/an ending that “doesn’t make you think” (which it doesn’t have), however, you won’t think the book is very good at all Your expectations for the book were different from mine Your expectations for the book were different from mine This explains the “Death Cab Paradox” – we judge it differently because we have different expectations for the music we hear (i.e. you need songs to have energy, or to be technically difficult – but I need them to have melody and good lyrics) This explains the “Death Cab Paradox” – we judge it differently because we have different expectations for the music we hear (i.e. you need songs to have energy, or to be technically difficult – but I need them to have melody and good lyrics)

8. Teleology and Choice Teleology, therefore, allows us to give things purposes of our choosing – and for us to be alternately satisfied or disappointed by how well something lives up to that “reason for being” Teleology, therefore, allows us to give things purposes of our choosing – and for us to be alternately satisfied or disappointed by how well something lives up to that “reason for being” This, in turn, allows us to develop morals and ethics This, in turn, allows us to develop morals and ethics Remember that we established that morals and ethics, for good or for ill, provide us with a framework for our interpretations – and therefore our goals! Remember that we established that morals and ethics, for good or for ill, provide us with a framework for our interpretations – and therefore our goals! Our goals become our reason for being – and our sense of satisfaction becomes dependent on how well we live up to our expectations and hopes for ourselves Our goals become our reason for being – and our sense of satisfaction becomes dependent on how well we live up to our expectations and hopes for ourselves Without goals, we have nothing to aim for, and therefore nothing to make us satisfied. Without goals, we have nothing to aim for, and therefore nothing to make us satisfied. Our goals can be inwardly directed (something that satisfies us) or outwardly directed (something that satisfies someone else) Our goals can be inwardly directed (something that satisfies us) or outwardly directed (something that satisfies someone else) In short, our morality becomes the means by which we can earn happiness; if our morality is determined by choice and experience, then one could argue that we all control whether we’ll be happy. In short, our morality becomes the means by which we can earn happiness; if our morality is determined by choice and experience, then one could argue that we all control whether we’ll be happy. Emerson’s quote seems more interesting in this context Emerson’s quote seems more interesting in this context On the one hand, we have to live at some point – we have to do something instead of just talking about it, or we’ll never satisfy those goals On the one hand, we have to live at some point – we have to do something instead of just talking about it, or we’ll never satisfy those goals On the other hand, we can still be happy if we plan as well as live; we may not achieve full satisfaction all at once, but we’ll always be hitting some benchmark (before moving on to the next goal so we can experience new happiness!) On the other hand, we can still be happy if we plan as well as live; we may not achieve full satisfaction all at once, but we’ll always be hitting some benchmark (before moving on to the next goal so we can experience new happiness!)

9. Teleology and Deontology Now let’s move on to Kant’s argument; can those goals become the ways in which we make ourselves worthy of happiness? Now let’s move on to Kant’s argument; can those goals become the ways in which we make ourselves worthy of happiness? Kant was what we call a deontologist – someone who believes that goodness grows out of morals, rather than the other way around (which we argued yesterday) Kant was what we call a deontologist – someone who believes that goodness grows out of morals, rather than the other way around (which we argued yesterday) According to Kant, morality meant that you acted on the basis of what you were expected to do alone – meaning that you were really pleasing to a teleologist! According to Kant, morality meant that you acted on the basis of what you were expected to do alone – meaning that you were really pleasing to a teleologist! Unfortunately, Kant also believed that anything other than an “expectation imperative” made an action immoral Unfortunately, Kant also believed that anything other than an “expectation imperative” made an action immoral Therefore, if you run around the track because your coach expects you to go run around the track, you’ve acted morally – but if you ran just because you wanted to enjoy it, you’ve compromised your morals because it’s not your duty to have fun! Therefore, if you run around the track because your coach expects you to go run around the track, you’ve acted morally – but if you ran just because you wanted to enjoy it, you’ve compromised your morals because it’s not your duty to have fun! Talk about relative values – we were confused about whether Death Cab for Cutie or “One Tree Hill” could be good, and now Kant wants us to look at ourselves completely differently! Talk about relative values – we were confused about whether Death Cab for Cutie or “One Tree Hill” could be good, and now Kant wants us to look at ourselves completely differently! Do you prefer Kant’s system, or Aristotle’s? Do you prefer Kant’s system, or Aristotle’s?

10. Becoming Worthy of Happiness Many resist deontology specifically because it seems to deem happiness as unhealthy – whereas teleology views it as the natural outgrowth of meeting one’s own expectations Many resist deontology specifically because it seems to deem happiness as unhealthy – whereas teleology views it as the natural outgrowth of meeting one’s own expectations In this case, the pursuit of happiness is incredibly important – rather than making our morals determine our level of satisfaction, we switch the relationship around In this case, the pursuit of happiness is incredibly important – rather than making our morals determine our level of satisfaction, we switch the relationship around If you notice this, it’s easy to see how humans can become worthy of happiness in their own eyes – just adjust your morals, and your goals will adjust as well If you notice this, it’s easy to see how humans can become worthy of happiness in their own eyes – just adjust your morals, and your goals will adjust as well It’s the reason why people can be satisfied while underachieving – they’ve changed their morals to the point that true excellence no longer matters It’s the reason why people can be satisfied while underachieving – they’ve changed their morals to the point that true excellence no longer matters Are they worthy of happiness? Is everyone worthy of it (which would mean Kant was wrong), or should we be doing something in order to deserve our good fortune (karma, caution, compassion, etc.)? Are they worthy of happiness? Is everyone worthy of it (which would mean Kant was wrong), or should we be doing something in order to deserve our good fortune (karma, caution, compassion, etc.)?

11. The Pursuit of Happiness Moving forward, we’ve covered the highs and lows of deontological and teleological approaches to morality and happiness. Moving forward, we’ve covered the highs and lows of deontological and teleological approaches to morality and happiness. Is there more to happiness than the simple fulfillment of moral imperatives – which seem to be the basis of both systems? Is there more to happiness than the simple fulfillment of moral imperatives – which seem to be the basis of both systems? Let’s contrast what made you happy when you were five versus what makes you happy now Let’s contrast what made you happy when you were five versus what makes you happy now For example, are you more concerned with the well-being of others now that you’re older? For example, are you more concerned with the well-being of others now that you’re older? How have you changed? Is it all a matter of more complicated goals? Perhaps self-awareness? How have you changed? Is it all a matter of more complicated goals? Perhaps self-awareness?

12. The Pursuit of Happiness (Continued) Was it easier to be happier when you were younger? Was it easier to be happier when you were younger? Which happiness is “better” – your mature version or your prior one? Which happiness is “better” – your mature version or your prior one? When did you think more about your own happiness – then, or now? When did you think more about your own happiness – then, or now? What do you intend to get out of each day? What do you intend to get out of each day? If you have no intentions, how can you have goals? If you have no intentions, how can you have goals? If you have no goals, Aristotle doesn’t believe you can be truly happy If you have no goals, Aristotle doesn’t believe you can be truly happy You can be pleasantly surprised – but is a life spent waiting for intermittent pleasant surprises worth living? You can be pleasantly surprised – but is a life spent waiting for intermittent pleasant surprises worth living?

13. Back to Choice and Morality True happiness seems to result from effort – the satisfaction that’s earned is better than the satisfaction that’s handed out True happiness seems to result from effort – the satisfaction that’s earned is better than the satisfaction that’s handed out In other words, it’s better to be the arrow than the leaf In other words, it’s better to be the arrow than the leaf After all, the vast majority of you decided that it was important to make your own moral code – and to make your own decisions rather than allow someone to control you, even if that control led you down a comfortable path After all, the vast majority of you decided that it was important to make your own moral code – and to make your own decisions rather than allow someone to control you, even if that control led you down a comfortable path In this way, choice, morality, and happiness seem interrelated In this way, choice, morality, and happiness seem interrelated If we have free will, we can decide how to interpret our experiences If we have free will, we can decide how to interpret our experiences We can allow those interpretations to shape our morals We can allow those interpretations to shape our morals Our morals, in turn, shape our future choices Our morals, in turn, shape our future choices By shaping our choices, our morals shape our goals – and our goals shape our happiness! By shaping our choices, our morals shape our goals – and our goals shape our happiness!

14. Is It All That Simple? Well, not necessarily Well, not necessarily We may not have free will We may not have free will We do things that violate our morals or our ethics; sometimes we attempt to rationalize these actions, while at other times we don’t even try We do things that violate our morals or our ethics; sometimes we attempt to rationalize these actions, while at other times we don’t even try We can go through life passively, drifting leaf-like from day to day without even noticing the passing of time – or that we’re not growing We can go through life passively, drifting leaf-like from day to day without even noticing the passing of time – or that we’re not growing We make the choices that ordinarily bring us happiness harder; by procrastinating, for example, we stain the “fun things” we do in the meantime with a hidden dread, a knowledge that everything gets worse when this experience ends. We make the choices that ordinarily bring us happiness harder; by procrastinating, for example, we stain the “fun things” we do in the meantime with a hidden dread, a knowledge that everything gets worse when this experience ends. This ensures that we won’t have as much fun as we should be having! This ensures that we won’t have as much fun as we should be having! If happiness is such an important human concern – and if great minds seem to have devised ways to find it – why do we still sabotage ourselves? If happiness is such an important human concern – and if great minds seem to have devised ways to find it – why do we still sabotage ourselves? In this case, we can blame our ability to choose incorrectly – the free will to make a bad decision In this case, we can blame our ability to choose incorrectly – the free will to make a bad decision This is a choice that, judging by our discussions, you treasure – so this is OK! This is a choice that, judging by our discussions, you treasure – so this is OK! In short, we may love pursuing happiness successfully – but we seem to love our ability to be disappointed almost as much, because that disappointment both seems to validate our free will and to make our successes all the sweeter. In short, we may love pursuing happiness successfully – but we seem to love our ability to be disappointed almost as much, because that disappointment both seems to validate our free will and to make our successes all the sweeter. “You need to know bruises to know blessings, and I have known both.” “You need to know bruises to know blessings, and I have known both.”

15. The Writing Assignment Yesterday, you discussed morality. Yesterday, you discussed morality. Today, I’d like you to articulate your personal philosophy regarding happiness – what it’s worth, how you can find/earn it, etc. Today, I’d like you to articulate your personal philosophy regarding happiness – what it’s worth, how you can find/earn it, etc. Remember, this is an ongoing assignment with an open timeframe; at the end of the unit, the body of these writings will allow you to form your personal statement of philosophy – the unit’s “end product.” Remember, this is an ongoing assignment with an open timeframe; at the end of the unit, the body of these writings will allow you to form your personal statement of philosophy – the unit’s “end product.” You may work until the end of the period. You may work until the end of the period.