Happiness Is Overrated

Happiness Is Overrated highlights the greatest thinking on the concept of happiness from classical philosophers such as Plato, to contemporary sociologists and psychologists. It includes practical advice on how to attain happiness, but argues that happiness is not the greatest personal good. Ultimately, the greatest personal good is realized in leading a robustly meaningful, valuable life.

Raymond Angelo Belliotti is Distinguished Teaching Professor and Chairperson of Philosophy at the State University of New York at Fredonia.

Preface

xi

Topics

xii

Acknowledgments

xiv

Greek, Roman, and Christian Happiness

1

(44)

Happiness as Moral and Intellectual Virtue

1

(10)

Happiness as Flourishing

11

(8)

Happiness as Radical Asceticism

19

(2)

Happiness as Hedonism

21

(7)

Happiness as Tranquility

28

(5)

Happiness as Worldly Transcendence

33

(12)

Happiness Reconceived

45

(24)

Happiness as Morally Earned

45

(5)

Happiness as Collective Achievement

50

(3)

Happiness as the Greatest Good for the Greatest Number

53

(4)

Happiness as Illusion

57

(4)

Happiness as Positive Psychological State

61

(8)

Contemporary Philosophical Views

69

(30)

Philosophy Joins Hands with Social Science

69

(3)

Happiness as Positive Self-Appraisal

72

(3)

Happiness as Accurate, Positive Self-Appraisal

75

(4)

Happiness as Connection to Objective, Preexisting Good

79

(3)

What We Learn from Contemporary Philosophers

82

(6)

Can Everyone Be Happy?

88

(1)

Should Everyone Be Happy?

89

(1)

How Much Suffering is Compatible with Happiness?

90

(2)

Why Happiness is Overrated

92

(7)

The Paths to Happiness

99

(26)

Adjust Expectations

99

(2)

Nurture Relationships

101

(3)

Be Optimistic and Appreciative

104

(3)

Have Faith

107

(2)

Make Peace, Not War

109

(1)

Be Goal-Oriented

109

(1)

Prioritize

110

(1)

Use Leisure Wisely, Energize the Senses, Eat and Exercise Properly

111

(2)

Go with Flow

113

(5)

Be Lucky

118

(2)

Forms of Happiness

120

(5)

The Meaning of Life

125

(44)

What Does it Mean to Say Life Has Meaning?

126

(2)

The Existential Problem

128

(2)

The Religious Solution

130

(10)

Eastern Religion

131

(2)

Western Religion

133

(1)

Assessment of Religion

134

(6)

Cosmic Meaninglessness

140

(2)

The Construction of Contingent Meaning

142

(7)

Nietzsche

142

(4)

Camus

146

(3)

Telescopes and Slinky Toys

149

(6)

Meaning & Significance

155

(5)

Death

160

(9)

Bibliography

169

(6)

Index

175

(6)

About the Author

181

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Happiness Is Overrated

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

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Happiness Is Overrated

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

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