PHL 222

Happiness and the Good Life

This course focuses on a number of important philosophical questions about happiness and the good life. The course has three parts: The first part focuses on questions about the good life: Which things make a life go well? Which things are ultimately valuable in life? Is happiness the key to a good life? Is pleasure all that matters? Or is getting what you want sufficient for a good life? What is the connection, if any, between the good life and moral virtue? Is being religious or believing in God necessary for a good life? Are knowledge and/or accomplishments necessary for a good life? The second part focuses on questions about happiness: What is happiness? Is happiness just a feeling? Can we define "happiness"? What is a happy life? Can you measure happiness? What is the connection between happiness and morality? The third part focuses on one question about the art of living well: What concrete and practical advice is there in the history of philosophy (most notably in the traditions of Hedonism, Stoicism, Buddhism and Existentialism) about conducting our day-to-day lives?

Units: 3.0