Happiness Fall 2015 Study Questions

Return to Happiness

SEP 3

1. What is philosophically and practically significant about the rise of Greek philosophy for the study of happiness?

2. Describe Plato's model for happiness. What would his basic argument about the nature of happiness be?

3. Describe Aristotle's model for happiness. What would his basic argument about the nature of happiness be?

3. What would we have to know to settle the question about Pat and Lee raised by Cahn and Vitrano?

SEP 8

1. How do you distinguish objectivist and subjectivist positions? Why is the distinction complicated?

2. What is Aristotle's core argument for his view of Happiness? What is Happiness for Aristotle?

3. What are some strengths and weaknesses of Aristotle's view?

SEP 10

1. In light of Haidt's discussion, how might you explain the phrase, "Happiness is in the journey"?

2. How can we account for the similar outcomes of lottery winners and paraplegics?

3. According to Haidt, what are some of the factors in your life that might increase your happiness in an enduring way?

SEP 15

1. Using Schimmack as an example, how do researchers build scientific models or constructs of happiness?

2. What do we know about top down vs. bottom up constructs of happiness? How might this knowledge affect internal vs. external strategies?

3. What do we know about the relationship between positive and negative affect?

SEP 17

1. What are some of the major structural and historic features of the human brain?

2. How do tensions between automatic and controlled processes relate to the problem of happiness?

3. What does a broadly evolutionary (biological) approach to consciousness suggest about the possibilities for improving happiness?

SEP 22

1. Which of the main researched factors in Argyle seem to provide the most credible evidence for various aspects of a Happiness construct?

2. What are some of the methodological difficulties in looking at correlational data on Happiness? How do you address some of those difficulties?

SEP 24

1. What are some of the main difficulties in measuring levels of SWB across nations, according to Diener and Suh?

2. What are some of the principle results and explanatory theories for national differences in SWB, according to Diener and Suh?

3. What considerations might enter into advising a national government to adopt more individualistic strategies for raising national SWB?

SEP 29

1. What is Epictetus' advice about happiness? Critically evaluate it in light of your current knowledge and thinking about happiness.

OCT 1

1. What is Epicurus's advice about happiness?

2. What is the implicit model of desire in Epicurus' thought?