HAPPINESS

What is Happiness?

Happiness

The state of pleasurable

contentment of mind; deep pleasure
or contentment with one’s
circumstances.
What does it mean to be happy?
Happiness can be defined in two ways.

Happiness can be interpreted as

a state of mind.

One can still maintain his or her

happiness even if he or she is
experiencing difficulties in life.
What does it mean to be happy?
Happiness can be defined in two ways.

Happiness can be an evaluation of

one’s experience in life.

Happy means having a satisfying life

that goes well for the person living it.
What does it mean to be happy?
Happiness for Ancient Greeks

Eudaimonia (good spirit) refers to a

person state of well-being or
happiness.

Good life is a happy life.

What does it mean to be happy?
Happiness for Ancient Greeks
Plato equates happiness with living a
moral life, practicing virtues, fulfilling
personal and political duties, and
controlling one’s desires.

Aristotle - happiness is the primary reason

for human action, and one becomes happy
through the practice of virtues and the
accumulation of achievements toward
excellence.
What does it mean to be happy?
Happiness for Ancient Greeks

Epicurus – happiness means a life of

peace that is free from fear and
discomfort.

Epicurus also taught that an individual

achieves a calm and serene life not
through material things, but finding inner
peace.
What does it mean to be happy?
Happiness for religious philosophers

St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas

define happiness as a union with God.

A person’s life is lived for the sole purpose

of achieving unity with the Divine.
Three distinct elements of Happiness

Contentment is satisfaction with one’s life.

Welfare refers to the satisfaction of a

person’s wants and desires.

Dignity defines as the ability to control and

define one’s own destiny and the freedom
to live a life of one’s choosing.
Happiness as a measure of life satisfaction is
also recognized by the social sciences

Psychologists define happiness

as a balance between a person’s
emotions, moods, and feelings.
Happiness as a measure of life satisfaction is
also recognized by the social sciences

Sociologists also said that a

person’s social environment also
plays a role in maintaining his or her
well-being through interpersonal
relations and the existence of
support systems.
Happiness as a measure of life satisfaction is
also recognized by the social sciences

Economists use socioeconomic

data to define happiness and
well-being in numerical terms to
satisfy wants and needs of the
consumers and other entity in the
economy.
How can one live a happy life?

Ethics plays a significant role in

discussing happiness and the means to
achieve it.

The morality and appropriateness of

human actions often revolves around the
question of personal satisfaction and the
general welfare.
How can one live a happy life?

Aristotle proposes that to achieve

happiness, a person must plan his or her
activities, aim for excellence, and form a
set of life goals to achieve a
worthwhile life.

The true happiness is the pursuit of

knowledge.
How can one live a happy life?

Epicureans believes that happiness is

possible if one enjoys the simple pleasure
of life and commits to a life of virtue.

The desire for wealth and status are

merely artificial goals and should not
define one’s happiness.
How can one live a happy life?

St. Augustine believes that happiness

can be found in the afterlife when the spirit
reunites with God.

It is important for a Christian to live of

virtue because it sets us on a road toward
achieving happiness.
How can one live a happy life?

Jeremy Bentham a utilitarian philosopher

who believes that happiness is achieved
through wise decision-making.

One must exercise careful thought in

engaging in activities and should only
pursue those that are most worthwhile to
society.
How can one live a happy life?
Immanuel Kant a moral philosopher said
that achieving happiness is impossible
because of the ever changing nature of
man’s desires.

Our wants are so varies and changing that

what could satisfy us today might no
longer satisfy us tomorrow.
How can one live a happy life?

Immanuel Kant also emphasized that

human action should not be defined by
happiness but rather goodwill.

A person promotes goodwill if he or she

fulfills his or her duties toward others.
How can one live a happy life?

Eastern philosophies provides guidelines

to everyday life, emphasizing the
importance of ethical conduct,
enlightenment, and social harmony.

A person promotes goodwill if he or she

fulfills his or her duties toward others.
How can one live a happy life?

Eastern philosophies that eventually

became a religion such as Buddhism and
Confucianism also focuses on how to
attain a good life that leads to a perfect
happiness.
Another equally
important aspect of
living a happy life is
being able to deal with
unhappiness.
Maintaining balance
between daily
activities, career,
and leisure.
Finally, having a
sense of purpose and
engaging in meaningful
activities.