I'm in the middle of HHDL's book, "The Art of Happiness". If anyone is serious about the topic, I strongly recommend it.
http://www.theartofhappiness.com/ On Sep 1, 8:53 pm, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > If happiness conflicts with morality you need another term for > "happiness" as well as "morality". Whose moral code, by the way? Is > happiness subjective or can it be universally defined? > > On Sep 1, 6:23 pm, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Kant admits that happiness is something very difficult to define. He > > states: "The concept of happiness is such an indeterminate concept > > that, although every human being wishes to attain this, he could still > > never say determinately and consistently with himself what he really > > wishes and wills." > > > However in the Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals, Kant suggests > > that attaining happiness is not just a want but a duty. He states: "To > > assure one's own happiness is a duty (at least indirectly); for the > > discontent with one's state, in a press of cares and amidst > > unsatisfied wants, might easily become a great temptation to the > > transgression of duty." > > > 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. > > > 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. > > > 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. > > > 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.- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
