Stephen Law

INTRO   Here’s a short introduction to some of the most fascinating philosophical issues about happiness. We are going to look at three key questions:   Is happiness just about feeling good , or is there more to it than that? Is feeling good always what motivates us? And: Is increasing happiness always morally the right thing to do?   1. ANCIENT AND MODERN CONCEPTIONS OF HAPPINESS   Happiness is elusive – something we work hard to achieve, yet rarely seem to find. Indeed, as T.S. Elliot reminds us, the harder we strive to attain happiness, the more quickly it seems to recede over the horizon.   We see them everywhere, those trying desperately for happiness: pitifully chasing clouds of butterflies, laughing too loud, drinking too much, buying too much, working too hard; hating themselves.   Perhaps one of the reasons happiness is hard to achieve is that it’s not entirely clear what we are after. So let’s begin by asking: ...