I invite you all to hit "comments" below share your own introductions, and (bearing in mind that this is an open site) answer two basic questions: Who are you? and Why are you here? (in this course, on this campus, in this state, on this planet, wherever, whatever). And, Are you happy? How high does happiness rank in your personal hierarchy of values, alongside (say) virtue, integrity, a sense of meaningfulness and purpose, etc.?
Our first class meeting will consist mainly of introductions and a heads-up that this will be (or perhaps I should say may be, sometimes, depending on the preferences and attitudes of your peers) an unconventional course in ways I hope you'll find delightful, instructive, and rewarding. If you don't like to move, breathe, and converse in the open air on nice days, this course may be a challenge. But, if you don't especially like the conventional lecture-style academic model in which I talk and you scribble silently in your seats, it may be just what you've been looking for. If that sounds too mysterious, I'll de-mystify it on the first day. HINT: wear comfortable shoes.Another HINT: see below.*
We'll not go over the syllabus or get bogged down in the nuts and bolts of course mechanics on Day One, there's plenty of time for those details later. Peruse the blogsite and syllabus (linked in the right margin) before next class and let me know what's unclear. Meanwhile, read your classmates' intros and post your own.
I'm Dr. Oliver. I live in Nashville with my wife, two dogs we "rescued" in May 2018 (Nell, a sweet & gentle Pit/Boxer, and Pita, a sweet and feisty Dachsund/Lab), and an old cat (Zeus). Older Daughter lives in California. Younger Daughter is a college junior.
My office is 300 James Union Building (JUB). My office hours are Monday thru Thursday 4-5 pm, & by appointment.
On nice days office hours may be outside, or at an alternate location. Check my office door for details. I answer emails during office hours, but not at all on weekends. Surest way to get a quick response: come in or call during office hours.
I've been at MTSU since the early '00s, teaching philosophy courses on diverse subjects including atheism, childhood, happiness, the environment, the future, epistemology, metaphysics, Anglo-American philosophy, consciousness, evolution, and bioethics. Just did a fun summer course in the Master of Liberal Arts (MALA) program called Identity and Truth. I'm always open to working with students on Independent Readings courses as well, if you don't find a listed course in something you're interested in. Let me know if I can ever help you with that.
My Ph.D. is from Vanderbilt. I'm originally from Missouri, near St. Louis. I was indoctrinated as a Cardinals fan in early childhood, so I understand something about religious zeal. My undergrad degree is from the University of Missouri ("Mizzou") in Columbia MO. (I wish my schools weren't in the SEC-I don't approve of the inordinate emphasis on major collegiate sports culture or football brain injuries, as I'm sure to tell you again.)
My philosophical expertise, such as it is, centers on the American philosophical tradition of William James and John Dewey. A former student once asked me to respond to a questionnaire, if you're curious you can learn more about me there.
*What you most need to know about me, though, is that I'm a peripatetic and will encourage you all to join me in that philosophical lifestyle as often as possible during discussion time. (If you're not sure what peripatetic means, scan the right sidebar or read the syllabus or ask me. Or look it up.)
I post my thoughts regularly to my blogs Up@dawn and Delight Springs, among others, and to Twitter (@osopher), and am continuing to experiment with podcasting as a classroom tool this semester. Follow me if you want to.
But of course, as Brian Cohen said, you don't have to follow anyone. (Extra credit if you get that reference... and real extra credit if you realize that my "extra credit" is usually rhetorical.) However, if a blog or podcast link turns up with the daily quiz (which will always be posted on this site no later than the night before class), you might find it helpful to read or listen.
Enough about me. Who are you? (Where are you from, where have you been, what do you like, who do you want to become,...?) Why are you here? (On Earth, in Tennessee, at MTSU, in philosophy class)? Hit "comments" below and post your introduction, then read your classmates'... and bear in mind that this is an open site. The world can read it. (The world's probably busy with other stuff, of course - Drumpf and Kardashians and cooking shows and other examples of what passes for "reality" these days.)
I've been at MTSU since the early '00s, teaching philosophy courses on diverse subjects including atheism, childhood, happiness, the environment, the future, epistemology, metaphysics, Anglo-American philosophy, consciousness, evolution, and bioethics. Just did a fun summer course in the Master of Liberal Arts (MALA) program called Identity and Truth. I'm always open to working with students on Independent Readings courses as well, if you don't find a listed course in something you're interested in. Let me know if I can ever help you with that.
My Ph.D. is from Vanderbilt. I'm originally from Missouri, near St. Louis. I was indoctrinated as a Cardinals fan in early childhood, so I understand something about religious zeal. My undergrad degree is from the University of Missouri ("Mizzou") in Columbia MO. (I wish my schools weren't in the SEC-I don't approve of the inordinate emphasis on major collegiate sports culture or football brain injuries, as I'm sure to tell you again.)
My philosophical expertise, such as it is, centers on the American philosophical tradition of William James and John Dewey. A former student once asked me to respond to a questionnaire, if you're curious you can learn more about me there.
*What you most need to know about me, though, is that I'm a peripatetic and will encourage you all to join me in that philosophical lifestyle as often as possible during discussion time. (If you're not sure what peripatetic means, scan the right sidebar or read the syllabus or ask me. Or look it up.)
I post my thoughts regularly to my blogs Up@dawn and Delight Springs, among others, and to Twitter (@osopher), and am continuing to experiment with podcasting as a classroom tool this semester. Follow me if you want to.
But of course, as Brian Cohen said, you don't have to follow anyone. (Extra credit if you get that reference... and real extra credit if you realize that my "extra credit" is usually rhetorical.) However, if a blog or podcast link turns up with the daily quiz (which will always be posted on this site no later than the night before class), you might find it helpful to read or listen.
Enough about me. Who are you? (Where are you from, where have you been, what do you like, who do you want to become,...?) Why are you here? (On Earth, in Tennessee, at MTSU, in philosophy class)? Hit "comments" below and post your introduction, then read your classmates'... and bear in mind that this is an open site. The world can read it. (The world's probably busy with other stuff, of course - Drumpf and Kardashians and cooking shows and other examples of what passes for "reality" these days.)
My name is Maxwell McConnell, I am a junior at MTSU and I am taking this course specifically in attempt to grow and understand what people construe happiness to be, and how it impacts their lives, as well as attempting to improve my own quality of life by exploring new perspectives.
ReplyDeleteFrom your perspective, how does happiness impact lives?
DeleteWhat do you take happiness to be?
DeleteI liked this quote that Mahatma Gandhi said which is, “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” I found it to be a just description of what happiness can be for some.
Deletethat was me again, I keep forgetting to put my name^^^
DeleteI really like this quote. Do you think what he describes is a state, an emotion..?
DeleteHey all, I'm Martin, a senior Advertising student with a minor in Apparel Design. I took my first philosophy class with Dr. Oliver as a freshman and as my final I did a report and presentation on ancient philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras of Samos. He quickly became my favorite philosopher for his mystical views on philosophy, religion, and mathematics. Since I left that course I have been waiting to take this course on happiness. I'm consider myself always curious and loved my previous classes' approach to learning about philosophers on my own time.
ReplyDeleteWhen looking introspectively, my views on happiness seem very narrow and has been a source of concern. Out of this class I'm looking for different perspectives on happiness and to help reshape what happiness can be for me. This class isn't going to radically change my life but it will offer a good opportunity to look at things differently and learn from others. And maybe this semester I can learn more about baseball!
Why do you describe your views on happiness as "narrow?" Would you mind sharing an example?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis may not have anything to do with the course, but I plan to attend law school and my second major is philosophy. I am also thinking about getting my masters in criminal justice, and then go to law school. Since you spent your life pretty much studying those fields, what would be your advice to someone that doesn't know what to do next?
DeleteLet's talk.
DeleteMY CURRENT ATTITUDE ON HAPPINESS is that happiness is a state of mind that comes from being content (satisfied, fulfilled) in all aspects of your life; i.e., your career, your financial situation, your personal relationships, your love life, your health, your personal and spiritual development, your physical environment. See https://www.universalcoachingsystems.com/thrive-know-your-life-areas/
ReplyDeleteMy experience is that happiness is the result of a choice to be happy. Not a choice in the sense of simply adopting an attitude, but a choice is the sense of affirmatively setting a goal of being happy, and then working to achieve that goal. Once I was talking with a 15-year veteran police detective who was talking (complaining) about his job. I said to him that he didn’t seem to be happy in his job, and if so, why didn’t he just change it? A few days later he said to me “I never thought about things that way; that I could just make choices to make me happier.” He quit his job, and got one he found more satisfying. When I was 32 years old I made a commitment to myself to be happy, and began being open to making changes that would lead to true happiness. It only took 22 years.
Good for you for finally actively seeking your happiness in life! :)
DeleteCan a person actually find happiness in all parts of their life? Could a person still have happiness even if they only are satisfied with certain aspects of their life?
DeleteIn response to Unknown’s good questions, and to promote good dialogue, I offer the following, which might be different after I’ve had more than one day in a course in the philosophy of happiness: I said in my post that my concept of happiness was that it was a state of mind that comes from being content in all areas of one’s life. I’m going out on a limb here, but I’d say that happiness is an emergent property (like temperature). If there are arbitrarily eight life areas, must one be content in all eight to be “happy”? I wouldn’t think so. It’s an individual thing, isn’t it? Happiness is that feeling that emerges from one’s satisfaction with life. For the individual, different areas may have different values. But all areas impact the cumulative effect. If a person has set a goal to be happy, and believes that achievement of that goal requires being content (satisfied; pleased) in all the areas of life, then all areas should be addressed.
DeleteI would like to recast Unknown’s first question, which is “Can a person actually find happiness in all parts of their life?” I would ask, can a person actually find contentment in all areas of their life, thus leading to happiness? To that I would answer that I think so. If I am diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease tomorrow, does that mean that in my Health area of life I am not content, and therefore can’t be happy? I would certainly be “unhappy” about this turn of events, but that doesn’t mean (to me) that I can’t be content with that area of my life. Shit happens; I’ve got Parkinson’s Disease; accept it, and don’t let it ruin your outlook on life. So, yes, I think a person can find contentment in all areas of their life, and that by either changing what can be changed or accepting what cannot, they can find happiness.
I like the idea that happiness is a need to be satisfied as opposed to a concrete end result. We are always looking to be happy in the different aspects of our lives. My question is do we place higher value on different types of happiness, ie. job, school, family, relationships, etc. and how do we navigate that?
DeleteSo, if happiness is a result of the accumulation of certain attributes that constitute "happiness," does that mean there's a middle ground between "happy" and "not happy" (that we could perhaps call "happy-ish" and "unhappy-ish," depending on which side of the scale they lean)? Is there a middle point - a True Neutral?
DeleteIn chapter one of the Haybron book he says that happiness is nothing more than a word for a state of mind. This implies that it is an individual’s state of mind. I find it helpful to think that there are not one, but several concepts of happiness, and that the different concepts reside in my brain in boxes that I can pull out for different purposes. Let’s say that two of the boxes are the Life Satisfaction box and the Pleasure in the Moment box. If I pull out the Life Satisfaction box, I’m going to be looking at the different areas of my life and evaluate my levels of satisfaction. I think, Martin, that at different times and circumstances in our life, a particular area or two will have a greater impact on our overall satisfaction with our life. If I’m a college student (call her Kayla) and I am lonely and I hate school and my love life is miserable, those are going to dominate my state of mind regarding my happiness, regardless of how satisfied I am with my financial situation, physical environment, or other areas, and I’m not going to conclude that I am “happy.” (And the converse would be true.) But even then, if I go out with good friends, maybe drinking a few beers and playing trivia games at the pub, and you ask me if I am happy, I will pull out my Pleasure in the Moment box, and report that I certainly am. So Darby, I think that ties in with the notion of “happy-ish.” If we’re at the pub with Kayla, when we asked her if she was happy, perhaps she would something like “well, overall I’m not very happy, but I am tonight.” Or, she could say, “well, honestly girlfriend, I’m kind of unhappy-ish,” and then go on and explain how she’s really having a good time tonight, but otherwise life sucks.
DeleteHaving re-read, more closely, chapters one and two of the Haybron book, I think that I may be talking about subjective well-being. That seeking eudaimonia, meaning well-being and living a life that benefits me, and seeking ataraxia, or tranquility, through addressing the various areas of my life, leads to a psychological state of mind that can be described as happiness. Of course, all of this is subject to refinement as we progress in the class.
DeleteWho are you? My name is Magdu Qasim, but i perfer being called Majida . I am and English major and a hopefull Philosophy minor. I am 21 years of age and a Nashville native. I do alot of writng as a side job, but my main focus is poetry and hope to one day make that a career.
ReplyDeletewhy are you here? I am here to further my intrigue in philosophy this would be my third philosophy class. I am intrigued by the idea of happiness and what it means to people.
Are you happy? I don't believe I am happy at this moment in my life. I believe the last time I felt I was ''Happy'' I was a child. I am in a place of content with myself. Maybe that will lead to happiness one day in my life. I do personally believe that if I gain happiness that would be great if not I still would be okay with my life.
If you gained happiness, what would that look like? Is it a feeling? (If yes, is it Only a feeling?)
DeleteHello everyone, my name is Kathryn. I am a Philosophy major in my last semester for my Bachelor's degree. I am taking this class because I was hoping that we would study the ancient's ideas about happiness. I am very glad that we are delving into Epicurus and the Stoics because they are something I wished I could have studied more.
ReplyDeleteFor myself, I find the most happiness when I take a "bring it on" approach to the struggles of life. I have had several trying times in life, such as loosing my father when I was 22, going through a divorce with a child, and raising a teenager. And, each hard thing that the universe has sent my way helped me change and grow into who I am now. There is an older movie with Tom Hanks, "A League of Their Own," where he says "The hard is what makes it great!" He is talking about baseball, but I feel that way about the hard parts of life.
Real unhappiness, for me, is stagnation, when all challenge is absent.
I hope everyone has a great semester, and that we all find our own happiness.
Happiness is gratification for lack of inaction? (Is it specifically a positive thing, in your opinion?)
DeleteI would hold that it is. Happiness - a positive state of mind - flows from taking affirmative action to address challenges; i.e., taking charge, and we have no shortage of challenges in our lives.
DeleteSo then, what this implies is that conversely, unhappiness is resultant from both/either lack of challenge and lack of accomplishment.
DeleteI don't necessarily disagree with you, but I feel that if this excludes the possibility of ever feeling happiness in a state of retirement, the grand scheme of life looks a little exhausting.
"Ain't no rest for the wicked" - seems Cage the Elephant fell short. There's no rest for the happy, either. That certainly makes happiness sound distinct from contentedness. And further, makes contentedness seem like a negative quality to pursue, if one values happiness.
Hello all! My name is Paivi Conway. I am currently a junior majoring in International Relations and Philosophy. Last year, I would say was one of the happiest times of my life. I studied abroad in China for two semesters. While there, I learned about a different culture, language, and philosophy. After returning to the United States, I had a different perspective of the world. Now while back as a student at MTSU, I want to encounter different thoughts and perspectives of life and the world. I enrolled in this class to figure out what is happiness and if it is needed to have what they would say is a "good life". Does happiness dictate if someone's life is good? Or could one live a life without ever feeling or thinking of happiness and still be content with their life? Perhaps being content is happiness?
ReplyDeleteGreat questions! It made me think of a couple myself.
DeleteDoes one have to think about happiness to be happy? And, can one who never contemplates happiness be happier than those who actively seek it?
I also studied abroad; however, I went to Cuba summer 2018 and Africa summer 2019. Because those places have lesser money than America (maybe not China), but do you believe the people are more happier with less money than Americans with money? Do you believe money and happiness have some type of correlation?
DeleteI think most people believe that money and happiness correlate. But you've heard the saying, money can't buy happiness. I believe this to be true. Yes, it would be nice to have all the things I want in life if I had enough money, but will that truly make me happy? Or just satisfied until I want something bigger and better?
DeleteAlso I like this quote which goes along with your question Chelsea.
Delete“Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has the more one wants.”- Benjamin Franklin
Perhaps we can learn about the nature of the thing by studying its function. What purpose does happiness serve?
DeleteSide note: Has anyone seen the Pixar film Inside Out? If yes, notably, there is no "Happiness" character - and I wonder how different, if different, that character would be from one called "Joy"
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ReplyDeleteNot sure what happened to my post from yesterday, but my name is Chelsea Owten. I am a Senior here at MTSU and I'm from Chattanooga, TN. Post-graduation, I plan to attend law school in Houston, TX. I am interested in this course to here philosophical opinions about happiness and how one can achieve it. For me, happiness is more so an emotion and we expect to feel that one emotion our entire lives which often leads to disappointment when one feels a different emotion. I want to know why is that emotion such an end goal for a lot of people.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the closest cousin to happiness, in your opinion? Joy, contentedness, ecstacy, positivity...? Are there certain attributes commonly associated with happiness that do belong in the same category, while others are more improperly associated?
DeleteMy name is Sarah Mills and I am a senior at MTSU. I am graduating this semester and I'm so excited. I do not know what I want to do yet, but I know I want to be in the medical field. As of now I'm leaning toward oncology research. I am here because it's my last semester and I saw it as my last chance to take a course in philosophy. I chose this particular course to better understand happiness. In my opinion happiness is stemmed off a persons confidence in themselves. I say that because if you are not confident in who you are or what you do, then how can you be happy in your decisions? Just my opinion, and could very well change by the end of this course.
ReplyDeleteWould you say, then, that you believe that it is impossible for an insecure person to experience true happiness? Or am I confusing the meaning of your usage of "confident"?
DeleteMy name is Graham Anglin and I am a junior here at MTSU. I am a chemistry major and this is my first philosophy class. My general impression of what I've heard about philosophy classes are half good half bad but I'm interested to see what its like for myself. I wanted to take this class for the pure curiosity of what a concrete example of happiness looks like and if its universally attainable.
ReplyDeleteHey Graham, this is my first philosophy class as well. I know you said you seek to know a concrete example, but what is happiness to you? I don't think there is a concrete example since happiness is different for everyone.
DeleteHappiness to me is being satisfied with your relationship with yourself and others while enjoying the particular time of life that you're in.
DeleteSo happiness necessitates both satisfaction and joy in order to exist, from your perspective? Or are you naming examples of separate kinds of "happiness"es?
DeleteHey everyone, I'm Alison. I was born in Mississippi, but I’ve I came to call Tennessee my home since being raised here. I'm a junior majoring in chemistry and minoring in biology. I'm taking Organic Chem 2 and Quantitative Chem Analysis also this semester. When I signed up for this class, I was thinking that this will be my happiness during the semester (pun intended) or at least help me to truly understand what happiness is. But honestly, I stress myself out a lot trying to always be correct during my chemistry classes, so I’m not always a happy person due to stress. But currently I would say my life is a pretty healthy balance of happiness and other emotions. I think that’s the way to be.. You know not happy all the time. Seems the most human if that makes sense. LOL.
ReplyDeleteI’m here because I find it most interesting that my interpretation of happiness could be different than the next person, yet neither of us are wrong about it. There’s not a wrong or right answer about what happiness truly is to me. I hope to be able to side with either a stoic or epicurean by the end of the semester, or possibly even cherry pick just like Dr. Oliver himself. I just want to be open-minded with all interpretations and see if happiness is really what the end goal is.
https://uquiz.com/uanjXG/are-you-a-stoic-or-epicurean Here is a quiz I found which takes your answers and decides if your epicurean or stoic. I got epicurean, I plan on taking it again at the end of the semester to see if stays the same or changes. Someone else take it pls
lol excuse my grammar errors
DeleteI took your quiz and it said I am a stoic so theres that.
DeleteThat was me ^^^^^
DeleteI got epicurean not sure if I agree.
DeleteWHO AM I? My name is Ed Craig, and I am from Shelbyville. I am the old guy in the room. After a career in law, business, and government, I retired from working life in 2009, although I teach classes for Tennessee State in the Motlow College/TSU 2+2 Criminal Justice program, including a philosophy (of law) class.
ReplyDeleteI am of the Me Generation, although technically not a Baby Boomer by 32 days. We have our share of angst, developed mostly in the ‘70s. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsF5eZBZ5lc) I was born and grew up in the greatest era for the American Dream, at least for privileged white people, 1945 – 1965. I grew up in Ozzie and Harriot’s America. I graduated high school before integration. I lived through the civil rights movement and cultural, social, and sexual revolution of the ‘60s and early ‘70s. I served in the USAF during Vietnam. I served as a US Justice Department lawyer during the rise of the consumer and environmental protection movements in the ‘70s. I was an executive with the country’s largest (and best) high-rise office building developer in the wild and greed-driven ‘80s. I was part of the government effort resolving the savings and loan financial crisis in the ‘90s. I retired as the City Manager of Shelbyville in 2009, and have been an adjunct for TSU since. (Writing this, it seems kinda Forrest Gumpish.)
WHY AM I HERE, subtitled “Why am I putting in the work for a B.S. in Philosophy rather than just attending classes for free, with no real pressure, under the old-people program?”
A quick answer is that it is because of Woody Allen, whose work I have always admired, although it’s not acceptable these days. Woody has a degree in Philosophy. He taught us ‘70s-Me Generation people philosophy in all his movies. Watch Manhattan for some moral philosophy 101. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dD7upKpLks
A less flip answer is that earning the degree signifies and recognizes the achievement of a goal, and that gives me pleasure. Teaching, especially my course in legal philosophy, has shown me that the more I learn, the less I know. Exposure to philosophy in that course made me want to learn/know more. Philosophy seems to provide a path to better understanding of the world around us, and, well, everything.
So, being the trained management type that I am, I set a goal; i.e., to increase my knowledge and understanding of philosophy. How best to achieve this goal? I felt that I needed more than independent reading; I needed training and interaction with others, the type of training one receives at a university. And for me, the chances of achieving any goal are enhanced if I am under some pressure. The pressure of completing the degree requirements provides that.
My name is Darby McCarthy, but that is my name. Who I am is a dreamer, a wanderer, an idealist, and a moralist. I am ever-growing, ever-changing, ever-evolving human being and fellow inhabitant of this planet.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid, I was identified out of kindergarten as a high-acheiver and thus began my career of attending programs for "gifted" children in conjunction with my regular classes. I loved to read, I loved to write, and I loved to learn. Most of all, I sought answers to questions like "what makes 'me' Me? I was introduced to my mother's concept of God, and thus my identity became intertwined with my religion. Unbeknownst to my birth father, my mother and stepfather slowly developed what I tentatively (but not unjustifiably) call a cult out of our large family of six (eventually, seven) children, and I grew up legitimately believing that God would call upon our family "in the last days" to cut down nonbelievers. The Last Days, we were told, would happen before I was a legal adult.
There is a long story to tell here, and I'm working on the best way to accurately and interestingly compile all of my relevant memories of the figures of my youth into a book, but until such a time as I'm able to do so, I'll just give the basics. Out of a familial heirarchy, I emerged a capable and confident top three position among my siblings. I framed my entire life around this world that was constructed to benefit my authority figures, and I denied myself "earthly pleasures" including friendships because the belief was that it would be unfair to expose them to God's Truth, for if they rejected it, I would be responsible for their condemnation to hell. Leaving everyone in ignorance and befriending none but my clan was the way to go. And I was alright with that.
My earth shook when I began to allow doubts (which were considered sins) into my life, and soon realized my whole life had been built on lies or (more dangerously) partial truths. I didn't know who I was anymore. I didn't know the meaning of life like I'd thought I had. I had given up investment in career paths and strong attention to my education because I'd thought it would be a waste of time, and now I felt (for the first time) so incredibly far behind my peers. I went to court against my mom and stepdad because they had done some tremendously wicked things, who eventually took a plea deal but are continuing to raise a sibling that may believe I am the actual antichrist for all that I know. I haven't seen him since he was eight years old, and he is turning fifteen this September.
I have known abusers, and good people in low places, and bad people in high places, and people who don't think critically, and people who think critically but use their perspective and wisdom to fuel superiority complexes instead of attempting to connect with their fellow humans. I've been top of my class, dropped out of class, working class, in debt, out of debt, abused, and I've conquered. It turns out that I am a fighter, and an empath, and (I truly believe) I am a Good person (though not perfect! obviously).
I'm here because the people in control of my life - that I allowed to control me - had me convinced that my interests are impractical, so I'd pursued education that was guaranteed to be "valuable." Eventually, I finally realized that the best way to guarantee that acting, philosophy, and writing were impractical choices was to actively not choose those passions of mine.
To deny myself of the things I am passionate about is akin to lying to myself. And whether or not we really are here with preset options of purpose, I feel that the best way to discover is to try with integrity to be the best version of the person I feel naturally inclined to be.
I want to learn what I think the best description of happiness is, because I am a semantic person, and I believe that synonyms such as "joy" or "contentment" are different words for a reason. I've been playing with the concept of hot and cold - in this life, there is no such thing as "cold." There is the natural state of things, and then there are things which generate heat. Therefore, we only know "cold" by comparing it to heat. This concept leads me to enjoy discovering the nature of things by removing what those things aren't. Right now, I think a simple statement is "happiness is the absence of despair," although if the heat/cold analogy stands, perhaps it is more acute to say that despair is the absence of happiness.
DeleteI'm here because life goes on and so do I. I'm here because of hope. And I hope this will prove to be a very good semester - one of many more to come.
I agree with you that they are all related but different, but out of curiosity, what are the differences you see between "joy," contentment," and "happiness?"
DeleteLet's say that we use my metaphor of cold (despair) and heat (happiness). I'd say that joy is warmth, and contentment is a degree. To expound upon my contentment analogy is the easier task: (As an example) If I thrive at 74 degrees Farenheit, then to have enough happiness to achieve comfort is possible, and is also a scale. Perhaps I can be comfortable when I am off from my ideal setting by many degrees, or perhaps I am more finicky. Contentedness is attainable by all, but its standards are not universal.
DeleteJoy is harder to use in this extended metaphor, but joy is the part that changes the temperature. I do believe lack of joy can cause depression (which does not preclude Any happiness: 12 degrees is different than 0 degrees) but it can also burn hotter than comfort levels, which we call mania, perhaps.
I think it's possible that happiness can be a good and/or a bad thing, but I don't know what, distinctly, it is.
DeleteKnowledge, for example, affects happiness.
One can be happy about something until naught but context changes, and one may no longer be happy about it or made happy by it. Does this mean that one was never truly happy (because the context was always the truth, whether or not one was ignorant of it)? Is it possible to think yourself happy and be wrong?
You guys are looking like a really interesting group, with lots of stories and views to share. It might be time to try and revive the old tradition of one of your Happiness class predecessors: a regular (or semi-regular) Thursday Happy Hour meetup at the Boulevard after class. If anybody's ever up for that I can be there by 5, more or less. If it's nice, I vote to sit out on the patio.
ReplyDeleteI would love this! Thursday evenings work well for my schedule, as it currently stands.
DeleteSounds awesome! I should be able to make it tonight, but we'll have wait and see how the semester plays out and what my job schedule will look like.
DeleteHello all, Levi Jaeger here. Introductions are a bit awkward for me since it's hard to encapsulate who I am in a few sentence without feeling like I am slipping into narcissism. Anyways, here are a few snippets: 1) I'm an avid outdoorsman. I enjoy hiking, climbing, and bushcraft on the side. 2) I am a nerd--particularly when it comes to politics and fantasy. 3) And cold cereal (in my humble opinion) is the best food known mankind.
ReplyDeleteAs for why I am here at MTSU, that is a long story. I took a gap year between highschool and college to travel and work. Honestly, I was this close to skipping out on college entirely. I love to work outside in the sun with my hands--and you don't need a degree to do that. However, with all the federal and state money that was being offered, it felt stupid not to go to school. If at any point later in life if I desired to go back and get a degree (because lets be honest, sooner or later I'd have gotten screwed over by not having one) it would be roughly 3-4 times more expensive since I would have to bear the full weight of the bill. All of that to say: why am I here? Well, because the government is paying for it.
Regarding this semester, I am super excited to look at the concept of happiness. No because I find myself lacking it, but rather I enjoy exploring the nuances of happiness. I personally believe that we place too much value on being "happy." Situations in life can be generalized into two states: comfortable and uncomfortable. We desire to be comfortable and actively seek comfort out (consider how R&D we spend trying to make things more efficient). But we equate comfort with happiness, e.g. "I have a good house, good life, and I'm not going hungry therefore I'm happy." But I believe there's more to happiness than achieve a status of comfort. Looking back at my own life, the moments that I would say that I was truly happy are moments that I was in the thick of physically/emotionally difficult circumstances. What then is happiness? I don't know. I think happiness is more than a lack of pain or hardship, more than pleasure, more than even the sense of accomplishment. But what IS it? I do not know but I'm curious to explore the topic.
Do you think that happiness is something of which there can be more or less? Or do you believe it is a thing one simply binarily has or does not?
DeleteGood question! I--as of now--personally lean towards the former statement, that is, happiness is more like a spectrum. Rather than it being a binary state of mind that you either have or don't have, I see different "types." First I must note that I believe that we are happy in spite of a challenge, e.g happiness is a state of mind we achieve once we overcome some difficulty. There are many different feeling that I have that all are "happy." i feel happy after a good workout, I feel happy when I finally accomplish a difficult task (like beating a Dark Souls boss or something), I feel happy when I stand on a mountaintop and look out at a gorgeous view... the list goes on. There seems to be different version happiness that I derive from physical activities, mental challenges, or even emotional moments.
DeleteIf we derive happiness from challenges, then it would make sense that different types of challenges create different types of happiness.
Yay! Discussion! (This is also why I'm here)
DeleteIf happiness is a spectrum, I pose to you a question that I believe I also posed in another thread: is there a point in the middle, between "happy" and "unhappy" that is True Neutral: not happy and not unhappy? Or is this more akin to the Bald Man Fallacy? (There is bald, there is not bald, and the middle is an ambiguous "balding," with no clear line at which point the category changes... though it does change)
And, on another note:
So then, happiness is never unprompted? Happiness is necessarily an effect for which there is always an active cause?
Hi I'm Marshall Maxwell I'm a senior journalism major. I was born in Austin Texas and moved to Murfreesboro when I was 10 years old, and then moved again to Nashville when I was 14. I attended the University of Tennessee my freshman year but transferred to MTSU after that and have enjoyed my time here significantly more.
ReplyDeleteI really don't have a firm grasp on what I believe about happiness or how it plays a role in my daily life which is the main reason I am excited about this class. At the moment I feel that my understanding of happiness is just limited to positive experience in daily life that I notice or reflect on. I want to understand more about happiness both neurologically and philosophically.
Hi I'm Alyx Olinde and I am a senior majoring in Microbiology. I have lived in Tennessee for 12 years and I love it here. I went to Volunteer State Community College for 2 years using Tennessee Promise and then transferred to MTSU. I want to go to medical school to become a specialized M.D. and pursue a career in medicine. I am taking this class because I often find myself unhappy and focusing on the negatives instead of focusing on the positive in life and would like to explore what makes people happy. I also like philosophy courses; I am a deep thinker.
ReplyDeleteHi my name is Henry Martin and I am a sophomore this semester. I believe in this moment that I am content with my life. Saying I'm happy all the time would be a lie, Happiness is temporary boost when something is going our way. We all have our struggles and thoughts that will stop us from being at a state of pure happiness throughout the day. I can say with confidence that I am content though, I know my struggles will pass and my thoughts will calm. Many times I see fellow college students who do not seem to be satisfied with their lives. One of the most significant reasons is the want for material items that will only give you that boost of happiness. I have fallen into this black hole before too, where I have always wanted the next new thing. The problem with chasing the new Material item is that it will always get old so you can never win. Aristotle said " Money is not the root of all evil but the love for Money is." I wrote a poem during a tough time in my life that embodies overcoming the struggles in life and reaching contentment/happiness. I will leave it below.
ReplyDeleteWaters
A Brave new world waits ahead in shimmering lights beyond,
Triumphant and vastly glim, shadows cast to their darkest depths.
How is one to advance into the unknown reaches that must be explored?
Boundless, flows a cradle, swinging and swimming with purpose in every direction
From one break to another, and imagine some journey,
Lest a toil from Man to gauge, of their coming and their going.
In secret, what will they carry on the night to the delight or fear of men?
Persuaded only to dance fiercely at random, by the true love, and ripped apart betwixt one in a moment, quickly giving way to those that do the pushing.
They part and fill the void with noisy fall, and then silence to the deepest depths, all those who are quickened to confines unknown, if taken.
Don’t conform to the call of the dank wind, of trepid waters, that follows the voice in stillness.
Raise your head, Unfurl the Flags, and fix your position.
Make your own melody, snap your breath, and echo salty wind- Tally HO!
May your journey be well my friend, above all,
And then Set your course again.
Posted for David Hughes:
ReplyDelete"So, I will try this post again. I don't see my original post from the Wednesday, but if it shows up then pick whichever intro gives you the most favorable interpretation of me.
My name is David Hughes, and I am, relevant to the academic theme, a nontraditional dual-degree seeking senior studying Political Science, Philosophy, and minoring in Psychology. I dropped out of high school right before I turned 17, did a lot of random things for 10 years, then decided to go to college. I started at Volunteer State Community College in Gallatin before transferring to MTSU.
You could describe me politically as an Independent, democratic socialist, advocate of a mixed economy, and fierce advocate of the entire bill of rights.
Psychologically you may, depending on the approach, define me as an INTJ or INTP, introvert, possible ambivert, high in consciousness, low in agreeableness and extraversion, moderate in openness and neuroticism, 98th percentile WAIS IV IQ, though performing under expectation in memory function, ADHD inattentive subtype, who has persistent depressive disorder, some general anxiety and PTSD traits.
Philosophically, well... I'm still working on discovering, learning, and uncovering how I fit in this realm. I know I have an affinity for the ancients, a curiosity of eastern philosopers, know little of modern philosophy, find Aristotle fascinating. I like ethics a great deal, as well as the brief amount of logic I've come across.
In regards to happiness, a large part of my reason for going to college was the search for happiness. Initially in the act of going itself, combined with the added benefit of achieving some better work/life outcome. Though later, in seeking the answers to my questions and curiosities by what I study. I, at least for now, consider happiness to be a fleeting thing. Like hunger, satisfaction, pain, pleasure, etc. I would say someone is "happy" if they tend to exhibit that emotion more than not, or exist in the state of happiness frequently. I would not categorize myself as such a person. I hope to find more moments of happiness in the unfolding of this course, and hypothesize I will find the Epicureans to be most beneficial."
Hello, my name is Kellum Johnson and I am a senior here at MTSU hoping to graduate this December with a degree in Philosophy and a minor in Psychology. I live here in Murfreesboro with my family and 8yo boxer who I love to death. I work at a nursery here in town where I water plants and take care of flowers. In my free time I enjoy spending time with family and friends, playing video games, and reading. I am in this class because I figured it would be a good way to finish up my philosophy credits and I have always been intrigued with the concept of happiness. I enjoy Murfreesboro and the opportunities it has to offer, as well as having my family so close. I plan to branch out one day and explore other parts of the world, but for now here is fine.
ReplyDeleteToday I feel happy (although I was much happier the first time I typed this out before it got deleted upon submission). The point being, my happiness changes from moment to moment. Lately I have been happier than at times in my past, but I feel as though I still have room for more happiness. Being born with depression and anxiety I used to constantly strive for happiness, but over time I have come to value it less and less. I recognized that the more I focused on happiness and tried to figure it out the more unhappy I became. I realized that the more I tried to stay in the present moment and take life as it comes, the happier I was. As soon as I begin to overthink happiness, all the unhappiness becomes emphasized. Lately I have begun valuing purpose and meaningfulness a bit more than happiness, but they all rank pretty close together. This being said, during this time I hope to surround myself with others that are exploring their meaning of happiness; and my goal is to be able to live life with a positive attitude while pushing the boundaries of a full life experience.