Can Happiness be Learned - Research Paper Example

?On Happiness Man’s pursuit of happiness is as old as human history itself. In an academic paper en d In Pursuit of Happiness: Empirical Answers to Philosophical Questions, authors Pelin Kesebir and Ed Diener briefly outlined the developments in the definition of happiness in various eras. Firstly, the Grecian definition of happiness banked on the balance between a pleasurable life and a virtuous life. In this sense, for man to be truly happy, he must not only strive to meet his physical needs, but also practice moral virtues. This definition of happiness was contextually elevated by Christian philosophers during the Middle Ages as they equated happiness with devoted faith in God. To these philosophers, happiness is a spiritual gift that God has given to man through grace. During the Enlightenment Era, however, this theological definition was radically changed into a utilitarian concept. According to this philosophy, the maximum surplus of pleasure over pain is the cardinal goal of human striving. At this point, it is crucial to note that the aforementioned developments have shifted the concept of happiness from a purely metaphysical notion to a more tangible state of human experience. As empirical science continues to gain worldwide acceptance as the purveyor of objective reality, philosophical methods slowly lose its credibility. If happiness is the end goal of man, defining and describing this state is of utmost importance. By revisiting its nature, we intend to examine the ways through which man can attain happiness, either aided by science or philosophical methods. Absolute Happiness in Philosophy There are two major distinctions when it comes to the conception of happiness. Firstly, from a philosophical standpoint, happiness is defined as man’s end goal, making it absolute or objective. As such, the drive to search for happiness is innate in man because of his imperfect nature. Thus, happiness is the attainment of human perfection. By introducing the concept of perfection, philosophy is able to reinforce the metaphysical character of happiness—since happiness is perfection, and perfection entails the transcendence of the physical, happiness, then, is be found on the spiritual. The improbability of attaining happiness on the physical realm is hinted in the article entitled In Praise of Grumpiness by Sue Ferguson, in which she described humans as being situated in an endless race to happiness. She defined this as adaptation, which proves that despite wealth, man cannot still be happy. Because of this logic, philosophy has equated happiness as being with God, the Ultimate Being. The worthiness of being with God, however, has specific requirements. In this light, man’s readiness hinges on the cultivation of character, which emanates from the proper practice of human virtues. Therefore, for man to be worthy of being with God—which equates to absolute happiness—man must be morally good. Subjective Happiness in Psychology When it comes to science, there are obvious differences in the definition of happiness. Although the absolutist notion of happiness is still regarded, which is described in same article entitled In State of Grumpiness as being in three levels—visceral sensations of joy; feelings of satisfaction; and judgments about the overall quality of life—emphasis is now given on its subjective attainment. This creates an entirely different route as happiness becomes an arbitrary choice of man, which culminates in an actual and physical state of well-being. As succinctly argued by Sue Ferguson in the same article stated above, science does not focus on an ideal conception of happiness because of its complete and lasting nature. Since such happiness necessitates high standards of thinking and empirical study as it involves a perfect, pure, and perpetual object of study, psychology emphasizes more on actual happiness. In this sense, happiness in psychology is about self well-being. As further elucidated in In Pursuit of Happiness: Empirical Answers to Philosophical Questions, self well-being refers to the overall evaluation of people on the quality of their lives, which encompasses both cognitive judgments of satisfaction as well as affective appraisals of emotions. Subjective happiness, however, is attained in accordance to four crucial aspects: life satisfaction; satisfaction with important life domains such as work, health, marriage, and social affiliations; positive affect which pertains to prevalence of positive emotions and moods; and low levels of negative affect. This finding is important as it captures some basic similarities in the conceptualization of absolute happiness in philosophy. For one, the presence of satisfaction in important life domains can only be obtained once the self has mastered good relations with oneself and others, which can only transpire through a well-formed character. Thus, while philosophy provides a more general approach to attaining happiness, psychology gives more practical ways for one’s daily practice. At this point, it is essential to delve into the empirical ways of attaining subjective happiness. As highlighted in an article entitled Introduction to Bright-Sided by Barbara Ehenreich, the key to attaining happiness lies on positive thinking, which she defined in two inter-related ways: optimism and hope. Optimism is seeing positive outcomes despite unpleasant circumstances. Closely related to satisfaction, optimism is fuelled by an internal desire to better oneself, which is captured in the idea of hope. Thus, to Ehrenreich, happiness is founded on a healthy state of mind—of being able to hope and act to better oneself amidst life struggles. The Ways of Positive Psychology If subjective happiness is related to cognitive functioning, how can psychology then help people to become happy? Such inquiry is answered in the article of Lemley Brad entitled Shiny Happy People which posits the necessity of advocating happiness—as furthered in a movement called Positive Psychology—since it creates healthier, longer-lived, and more productive individuals. As such, Brad noted a study on subjective happiness that incorporated a happiness equation, expressed as: H = S + C + V. In this formula, H becomes a man’s enduring level of happiness; S becomes his genetic contribution to his level of happiness; C becomes his life circumstances; and V becomes the factors under his voluntary control. For one, the study found out that most people with phlegmatic and choleric temperaments tend to be more emotional and sad, while those with sanguine temperament are more likely to be satisfied and happy. This underscores the direct relation of genes to person’s happiness. In addition to this, man’s current circumstances also contribute to his level of happiness. His current socio-economic status, relations with his family and friends, and current job all constitute to this. In this light, the proponents of the happiness equation claimed that it is only through scientific manipulation of the last factor (voluntary control) that psychology can help create more smiles, since it constitutes 40% of overall subjective happiness. These scientific interventions in attaining subjective happiness are done through a therapy that subjects must undertake within a certain period of time. Thus, it is in this immediacy that makes variable difference from life circumstances or genetic order. The therapy is done to boost all three basic types of happiness: (1) pleasure which includes sensory enjoyments like good food and sex; (2) flow which pertains to the sensation of being fully absorbed in a task; and (3) meaning, which means rendering service to other people to obtain internal satisfaction on one’s worth in society. In a paper entitled A Critique of Positive Psychology by Alistair Miller, the author claimed that while Positive Psychology puts premium on the attainment of a happy state of mind, this must not be hastily equated to maintain absolute pleasure. The presence of hardships and downfall, according to the article, does not downgrade the level of one’s happiness. It is in how the self devices ways on overcoming these struggles that subjective happiness can truly be attained. Conclusion Indeed, subjective happiness proves to be attainable given the results of Positive Psychology. But while it is true that we can condition our minds to think for the better to be happy, we must always base this on actual practice of good actions—those that are founded on human virtues. Nothing beats internal feeling of happiness, which emanate not from programmed actions but from self-initiated acts of goodness. Meaningful human relationships, self-discipline, and strong faith in God are true ingredients of happiness, be it subjective or absolute. SOURCES: 1. Title: SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE. Authors: Lemley, Brad Source: Discover; Aug2006, Vol. 27 Issue 8, p62-78, 6p, 1 Color Photograph, 2 Black and White Photographs Document Type: Article. Company/Entity: UNIVERSITY of Pennsylvania, SELIGMAN, Martin 2. Introduction to Bright-Sided by Barbara Ehrenreich IN PRAISE OF GRUMPINESS. By: Ferguson, Sue, Maclean's, 00249262, 8/1/2005, Vol. 118, Issue 31/32 3. In Pursuit of Happiness Empirical Answers to Philosophical Questions. By: Pelin Kesebir and Ed Diener. University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign 4. A Critique of Positive Psychology— or ‘The New Science of Happiness’ ALISTAIR MILLER Read More