Good topic. I already stated why I don't like "duty" and I can see why there is a perceived conflict with happiness. This assumes that happiness "must" conflict with society? I don't see that as a necessity at all myself.
On Sep 1, 4:23 pm, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > I'm thinking that not recognizing this duty leaves one vulnerable to > the dissatisfying results of false pursuits of happiness. Like Kant's > example of a wealthy person who thinks there is happiness in wealth > but then realizes it has no real value due to the anxiety in attaining > and keeping it. This assumes that all rich people are unhappy, and I dispute that "comparitively" as not universal, but sure, it happens, so what? Lots of people change majors in college too. What you thought would make you happy sometimes doesn't, oh well, so you try something else. It also assumes the rich do whatever it is they do only for money, I claim some just do what they do and it happens to make them rich and there is no connection at all. > Kant indicates that all men regardless have an innate sense to find > happiness, referred to as inclination. The dilemma being that much of > the time one's happiness results in the unhappiness of someone else > therefore concluding that everyone could not possibly be happy at the > same time. Even in the Eudemonist sense there are no guarantees or > there is a great reliability on the individual's ability to achieve > happiness. Again, I don't think seeking happiness necessarily has any connection to making others unhappy. I suppose we could use some examples. > I see a direct conflict between desires, happiness and morality > because much of the pursuit of happiness creates an abandonment of > morality and desire fails to promote happiness, perhaps temporarily or > at least at the achievement level. I don't see that at all. If I stayed in my room all day to learn how to play guitar to a level never seen before, then I join a band and tour the world, how has my morality been compromised? I suppose I need to hear your examples. > Aside from morality issues the end road for me is the question of the > duty to assure happiness. Is there individual duty to assure > happiness and if there is would each individual happiness lead to the > ultimate happiness of society. I've always said, "If you want to be > happy make the people around you happy". Make the world around you > happy and you will be living in a happy world. I don't think it is a duty to be happy but it is a right to pursue it if you don't infringe on others rights. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
