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Happiness as an Ultimate End, 2005.
A discussion on the nature of happiness as an end by focusing on happiness as it stands within John Mill's utilitarian philosophy.
1,817 words (approx. 7.3 pages), 4 sources, MLA, $ 58.95
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Abstract
This paper begins by mentioning and analysing moral philosophies which do not take happiness as an ultimate end, such as the Aristotelian, Romantic and Protestant schools of thought. After discarding these ideas, as Mill does, the paper then questions Mill's statement that general happiness for society is everyone's moral goal, and finds that he does not argue this logical step through convincingly.
From the Paper
"It is recognised, and Mill himself admits, that his conception of happiness is something discrete from the basic theory of Utilitarianism, and one who does not agree with one, could still accept the other. Even so, the question of what exactly happiness is is a crucial one in deciding whether Mill's later assertions that happiness is the ultimate end of the individual, and general happiness is the ultimate end of society, are true. If happiness was made up of other things, or if it is tangled up in means to pleasure (such as money), the question increases in complexity. Mill certainly argues that happiness is pleasure, in some way, and that this is the ultimate end for an individual. From this, he makes the logical leap to the assertion that under Bentham's General Happiness Principle, general happiness is the end of society under a utilitarian philosophy."
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Happiness, 2004.
This paper discusses Plato and Aristotle?s attempt to describe happiness in exact terms.
3,110 words (approx. 12.4 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 90.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that Aristotle appears to be more or less in agreement with Plato in that happiness is guided by intellect and reason. The author points out that Plato believes happiness results from a soul being ordered and ruled by reason, whereas Aristotle, who believes happiness is his guiding principle and a virtuous activity, concludes happiness is the end rather than the means. The paper, in an attempt to describe happiness today, concludes the only remaining truth is that happiness cannot be defined: Some people feel that happiness is striving actively for something, while others find their greatest happiness when at rest and at peace with themselves.
From the Paper
"As a basis for this theory, Plato divided the human soul into three basic energies: Reason, emotion and appetite. As seen above, reason has the greatest value and the greatest potential to provide happiness. The other two are lower passions, and while they may provide fleeting satisfaction, this is not comparable with the lasting happiness provided by being just. This is in contrast to the hedonist view to enjoy as much of the physical world as possible before one dies. The Sophists of Plato's time also argued against the need for morality. Plato's response is found in "The Republic", where he fully explains the workings of the soul according to his view. If a person were to be happy, according to Plato, the lower passions must be ruled by the higher force of reason. And the consequence of this is that morality is driven by the desire to be happy."
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The Meaning of Happiness, 2006.
This paper examines the meaning of happiness.
675 words (approx. 2.7 pages), 2 sources, $ 26.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer discusses the notion and emotion of happiness. Firstly, the writer presents a definition of happiness. The writer explains that happiness is a state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy or emotions experienced in a state of well being. The writer points out that happiness comes from within a person and can be seen in people who are satisfied with life. Further, the writer notes that happiness comes from finding answers to life and knowing that life is satisfying.
From the Paper
"What is happiness? How does a person determine whether he or she is happy? Often people confuse joy with happiness, but they are not the same. Joy is fleeting moments of happiness, while happiness is long lasting. A person winning a lottery is overwhelmed with joy, but it may not bring happiness. An elderly woman with five children and twenty grandchildren is happy because she knows she is loved. Happiness can be defined as an emotion similar to being sad, mad, angry, frustrated, joy, love, etc."
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The Philosophy of Happiness, 2005.
A look at the definition of happiness according to Aristotle and Epicurus
2,043 words (approx. 8.2 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 64.95
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Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the topic of happiness in philosophy. Specifically, it defines and describes what makes a "happy" life for philosophers Aristotle and Epicurus. Happiness is an essential part of every life, but happiness can mean different things to different people, as these two philosophers clearly indicate. It shows how happiness should be a goal for everyone and how these two philosophers illustrate how to achieve it, though in differing ways and with different outcomes.
From the Paper
"Happiness is not the same concept to everyone, and Aristotle and Epicurus are no exceptions. Epicurus, who lived between 341 and 271 B.C., was an Athenian philosopher whose main theory centered on happiness and how to achieve it in life. He believed happiness would come if people did not fear death, took care of themselves, and did not indulge in desires that were not necessary (155). He felt that people were able to create, and must create, their own happiness, that it was not dependent on others. He writes, "We must then meditate on the things that make our happiness, seeing that when that is with us we have all, but when it is absent we do all to win it" (Epicurus 155). Epicurus' theories included theories on death, the gods, and immortality."
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Human Happiness in the Enlightenment and Ancient Greece, 2002.
Compares the theme of human happiness as it is reflected in eighteenth century writer, Voltaire's "Zadig" and texts by Ancient Greek writers.
2,108 words (approx. 8.4 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 66.95
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Abstract
Eighteenth century Enlightenment author, Voltaire's title character, "Zadig" possesses every virtue and material good needed for happiness, yet he is constantly tossed about by fate, at the mercy of the some of the worst luck imaginable. The paper shows that the questions that are raised, therefore, involve the conditions on which happiness depends, the qualities needed to be happy, the effects that evil persons can have on one's happiness and the role played by merit, fate, chance or Providence in one's life. The paper shows that these were not new questions when Voltaire raised them in the middle of the eighteenth century. They were central issues that had absorbed the Greeks more than one thousand years before "Zadig" was invented. The paper shows how this theme of human happiness was reflected in their art (such as Sophocles' play "Oedipus Tyrannus"), in their histories (the writings of Herodotus and Thucydides) and in their philosophy (Plato's "Republic"). The paper looks at the similarities and differences between the philosophies during both time periods.
From the Paper
"The Greeks had far less difficulty with this question because they were more fatalistic and convinced that the individual's destiny was, in many respects, set by the gods and could not be altered--no matter how exemplary his behavior. This is certainly the case with Oedipus who, in Sophocles' play, is doomed to live out the terms of the prophecy no matter what efforts he makes to avoid it and no matter how exemplary a person he becomes. He is, in many respects, an ideal ruler and a good man, but when the horror of his fate is made known to him it is clear that these attributes and behaviors had nothing to do with his eventual fate. The Chorus generalizes from his experience saying that with Oedipus' fate as an example "nothing pertaining to man is enviable" (453)."
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Happiness and Religion in the American Population, 2002.
An analysis of the relationship between happiness and religious belief in American society through a literature review.
2,900 words (approx. 11.6 pages), 15 sources, $ 106.95
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Abstract
This paper will discuss the correlation between happiness and religion in contemporary American society. Beginning with a literature review of various theories of happiness - psychological (Freud), economic (Marx), and sociological (Durkheim) - operational definitions of both happiness and religion will be proposed. Given the finds of the literature review, the parameters of both definitions will be as broad as possible. It will be seen that - for those Americans who possess a strong religious faith - there appears to be a correlation between religion and happiness.
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Aristotle and Happiness, 2005.
This paper discusses human nature and happiness according to Aristotle.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 1 source, $ 44.95
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Abstract
The paper seeks to demonstrate that Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics is a treatise on the relationship between human happiness and human nature. To show this, the writer first explains how Aristotle connects human nature to his function argument and what either of those has to do with happiness. Then the writer analyzes the place of virtue in Aristotle's happiness, a place that draws heavily on the role of virtue in human nature. Finally, the writer discuss how happiness can be joined to a life of study under this Aristotelian perspective.
From the Paper
"According to Aristotle in Nicomachean Ethics, the realization of human happiness is intimately tied up with Aristotle's own conception of the extent of human nature. In the book, Aristotle makes a relatively sophisticated argument that examines the nature of human nature in terms of function and the goal of human existence. From this, Aristotle is able to analyze the role that virtues play in achieving happiness and the significance of a life of study and contemplation. In short, I intend to demonstrate that Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics is a treatise on the relationship between human happiness and human nature. To show this, I will first explain how Aristotle connects human nature to his function argument--and what either of those have to do with happiness."
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The Psychology of Happiness, 2008.
This paper explores the psychological aspects of happiness and well-being.
2,416 words (approx. 9.7 pages), 10 sources, APA, $ 73.95
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The paper reviews the various paths to achieving happiness and fulfillment through self-actualization or introspection. The paper demonstrates the role of the media in sowing the seeds of mistrust and unhappiness as well as the inherent disdain of this institution by both sides of the political spectrum. The paper then looks at what makes a happy and satisfied workforce. The paper also shows how happiness is individual, but the common thread is that happiness comes from within the person himself.
From the Paper
"What is the most fulfilling Life? The present population of the world is approximately 6.6 billion individuals (World Population Prospects, 2007, n.p), and most likely each with their own particular interpretation of life fulfillment and happiness, and each equally entitled their own opinion on the subject. The Founding Fathers of the United States of America viewed happiness as a birthright of the common man, "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" (Declaration of Independence, 1974, p.1). The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines happiness as ". . . a state of well being and contentment. . ." (Merriam-Webster, 2007, n.p.)."
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Aristotle, Virtue and Happiness, 2002.
A discussion of Aristotle's views on the concepts of virtue and happiness.
1,363 words (approx. 5.5 pages), 3 sources, MLA, $ 45.95
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This paper examines the perspective that Aristotle brings to bear on the (for Greeks) twinned concepts of happiness and virtue. It looks at how the Greeks would have argued that both happiness and power derive from virtue and how the quest for a fulfilled life does not have to be seen in terms of a trade-off between doing good and doing well. It analyzes how Aristotle argues that happiness is one of the chief activities of the human soul, along with rationality and therefore it is virtuous both to be rational and to be happy.
From the Paper
"One of the most important of all questions for the classical Greek philosophers was how to define virtue: This is true not only of Aristotle but of many of his contemporaries. However, when we read Aristotle, we see this idea is almost a consuming passion of his. While we should not assume that Aristotle was not in fact a man very much concerned with doing the right thing and being a good person, we must also bear in mind that for a philosopher like Aristotle the concept of virtue was a much broader area of concern ? as well as action in the world ? than the term is for us today."
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Aristotle on Human Happiness, 2006.
This paper addresses Books I and II of Nicomachean Ethics and Aristotle's description of how a life led in virtuous ways can produce happiness that may elude others.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 1 source, $ 44.95
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Abstract
This paper explains Aristotle's account of different kinds of virtues and their cultivation as the best means of knowing human happiness, as laid out in his Nicomachean Ethics, Books I and II. In Book I, Aristotle explains how a person of virtue has to be able to see principles, use reason to shape their desires and act in awareness of good principles. One needs a certain insight into what happiness is not, as in Aristotle's remark that, "the most vulgar, would seem to conceive the good and happiness as pleasure, and hence they also like the life of gratification".
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In Understanding is Happiness, 1997.
An analysis of the ethics of happiness in Aristotle's "Nichomachean Ethics".
1,414 words (approx. 5.7 pages), 1 source, $ 47.95
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This paper deals with what Aristotle termed as man's "highest good"--happiness--and to what extent happiness depends on material factors like fame and fortune.
From the Paper
"In book one of Aristotle?s Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle muses over what he terms as ?The Highest Good,? happiness. He wonders about what it means to be happy and to what extent happiness is dependent on factors such as fate and fortune. One of the questions he raises along this line of inquiry has to do with the Greek saying, ?Count no man happy until he [is] dead.? He begins to deal with this question in section 1.82 of Irwin?s translation. He first takes the Greek saying quite seriously, asking the reader if it is possible for someone to be happy after they die. Quickly, he points out that this interpretation is absurd?after all, if happiness is an activity, how can someone who is dead take part in it (1100a14)"
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The Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler's "The Art of Happiness", 2007.
This paper is a critical analysis of "The Art of Happiness" by the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler.
1,860 words (approx. 7.4 pages), 4 sources, APA, $ 59.95
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This paper argues that the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler's "The Art of Happiness" integrates, dilutes and distorts the message of traditional Buddhism to make it more accessible to Western readers and Buddhism-enthusiasts. The author points out that this book was written to give Cutler the opportunity to boil down the Buddhist teachings of the Dalai Lama so that they only deal with pursuing happiness and then to present those teachings through a lens of Western education and intellectual training. The paper stresses that Cutler's express purpose is not to provide readers with access to Buddhism as a religious and spiritual tradition. The author underscores that the book fails to impress upon readers that it has taken the Dalai Lama a lifetime of study and training through a traditional Buddhist education to achieve happiness and peace.
From the Paper
"For instance, at the start of Chapter 8: 'Facing Suffering', the story of Kisagotami, a woman who lived during the Buddha's lifetime, is presented. Kisagotami suffered the loss of her only child, only to be taught by the Buddha that her suffering was not unique but rather was a part of the lives of every living person. In a fashion typical of the book, Cutler doesn't use this example to launch into a discussion of how traditional Buddhism teaches that all life is suffering and that is only through Enlightenment that one can transcend this world and the endless cycle of rebirth. Instead, he fixates on the material component of the parable ..."
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Kekes and Happiness, 2002.
A evaluation of Kekes' rejection of the simple view of happiness and his own position on pappiness.
1,150 words (approx. 4.6 pages), 2 sources, $ 44.95
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This paper discusses and evaluates Kekes' rejection of the simple view of happiness and his claim that happiness requires being satisfied with many of the important things we do and have.
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Aristotle's Concept of Happiness, 2002.
Looks at ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle's idea of happiness as presented in his "Nicomachean Ethics".
1,650 words (approx. 6.6 pages), 1 source, $ 62.95
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Abstract
This paper explains Aristotle's concept of happiness. Based on his book "Nicomachean Ethics", it argues that happiness or living well is the attainment of the highest good, which is guided by proper function and virtue. None of them are instinctive actions in that human beings do not act without using reason. They lead a person to act voluntarily and well to attain happiness.
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The OneState Concept of Happiness, 2006.
A discussion of the dystopian ideal of happiness as portrayed in the book "We" by Yevgeny Zayatin.
1,165 words (approx. 4.7 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 40.95
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Abstract
The paper opens with a description of examples of what happiness means to people. The paper examines the concept of happiness as portrayed in Yevgeny Zayatin's "We" through the social organization of OneState, and how this "happiness" is juxtaposed to our cultural ideals and values.
From the Paper
"Imagine everything that makes you happy. A nice bowl of ice cream with a hot brownie on the side, skipping work or school to hang out with a good friend, sleeping lazily under the sun in warm summer grass--those are a few of mine. Some of the happiest moments of my life have yet to be lived, like my wedding day or when I have children of my own. So just imagine if you will, glass. Never feeling the full radiance of the sun, touching the sinking ground moving beneath your feet or lying in the soft grass. Imagine never tasting the sweet flavors of your favorite foods. Imagine having a scheduled routine every day of your life--never sleeping in, never staying up late to watch a favorite television show. Imagine a life without love, without weddings, spouses, brothers, sisters--family. Imagine living day after day devoid of these things. Can you really say you're happy? OneState presents a dystopian concept of happiness through the day-to-day lives of the numbers."
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