Spring 2011 Happiness Class Study Questions

Return to Happiness

1/11/2011

No study questions from this class.

1/18/2011

1. Reconstruct Aristotle's basic view of happiness. Be sure to represent the rationales he thinks he has for the necessity of his view.

2. How does Greek popular culture (or the classical period) and Platonic philosophical culture differ, in general? What are some of the main issue separating them?

3. What direction do the post-Socratic schools (such as Epicureanism and Stoicism) take the pursuit of happiness (and a philosophy of happiness)?

4. What are some of the main "happiness makers" according to Haidt? What is his concern about Buddhism and Stoicism?

5. What are "top down" and "bottom up" theories and how does Schimmack attempt to distinguish evidence for one vs. the other?

6. What is the relationship between PA and NA according to Schimmack?

1/25/2011

1. What the major correlates and causes of happiness according to Argyle and Diener & Suh?

2. Why is the impact of income on SWB so difficult to assess? Cite research and give reasoning for how you think we should understand some of these difficulties.

3. What, if anything, do trans-national studies on SWB tell us about the effects of national group and ethnicity on SWB. What problems do they raise? What are the major approaches for thinking about this research?

2/1/2011

1. What is the distinctive character of Christian conceptions of happiness from early through medieval Christianity? How did Hellenization affect the Christian appropriation of Judaic "happiness"?

2. What is the structure of Yogic thought on happiness, according to Patanjali?

3. How do Buddhist analyze the causes and remedies of suffering?

4. What is the basic psychology of the Brahmahivara and Kleshas?

5. To what extent might increasing mindfulness or stilling the mind lead to insights that would promote happiness, as Yogics and Buddhists claim?

2/8/2011

1. Be prepared to reconstruct and critically evaluate Stoicism and Epicureanism, both as philosophies and philosophies of happiness.

2. What are the specific therapeutic recommendations of Stoicism and Epicureanism?

3. Evaluate Stoic and Epicurean advice about happiness in light of other research and your experience.