Happiness and Goodness

Steven Cahn; Christine Vitrano

Steven Cahn and Christine Vitrano

Happiness and Goodness

Philosophical Reflections on Living Well

Preface by: Robert Talisse

Columbia University Press | 2015

https://doi.org/10.7312/cahn17240

Overview
Contents

About this book

How should we evaluate the success of each person's life? Steven M. Cahn and Christine Vitrano maintain that our well-being is dependent not on particular activities, accomplishments, or awards but on finding personal satisfaction while treating others with due concern. Cahn and Vitrano link their position to elements within both the Hellenistic and Hebraic traditions, particularly the views of Epicurus and lessons from the Book of Ecclesiastes.

How should we evaluate the success of each person's life? Countering the prevalent philosophical perspective on the subject, Steven M. Cahn and Christine Vitrano defend the view that our well-being is dependent not on particular activities, accomplishments, or awards but on finding personal satisfaction while treating others with due concern.

The authors suggest that moral behavior is not necessary for happiness and does not ensure it. Yet they also argue that morality and happiness are needed for living well, and together suffice to achieve that goal. Cahn and Vitrano link their position to elements within both the Hellenistic and Hebraic traditions, in particular the views of Epicurus and lessons found in the Book of Ecclesiastes. Written in an accessible style and illustrated with incisive vignettes drawn from history, literature, films, and everyday life, Happiness and Goodness is a compelling work of philosophy for anyone who seeks to understand the nature of a good life.

Author information

CahnSteven:

Steven M. Cahn (PhD, Philosophy, Columbia) is Professor of Philosophy at The City University of New York Graduate Center, where he served for nearly a decade as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, then as Acting President. He is the author and editor of numerous books, including From Student to Scholar (Columbia, 2008), Fate, Time, and Language (Columbia, 2010), Polishing Your Prose (Columbia, 2013), Freedom and the Self (Columbia, 2015), Happiness and Goodness (Columbia, 2015), and Religion Within Reason (Columbia, 2017); his textbooks and anthologies on ethics, philosophy of religion, and introduction to philosophy, published by Oxford, have appeared in multiple editions.Steven M. Cahn is professor of philosophy at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He has written or edited some fifty books, including Fate, Logic, and Time; God, Reason, and Religion; Saints and Scamps: Ethics in Academia; and From Student to Scholar: A Candid Guide to Becoming a Professor.

Christine Vitrano is associate professor of philosophy at Brooklyn College, City University of New York. She is the author of The Nature and Value of Happiness and coeditor, with Steven M. Cahn, of Happiness: Classic and Contemporary Readings in Philosophy.

Reviews

Ed Lake, Deputy Editor, Aeon:
I can't remember the last time I read a book about ethics that was so fascinating.

David Shatz, Yeshiva University:
This crisply written and incisive book draws on ancient thought and contemporary examples to develop a compelling account of living well.

Dov Weiss, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign:
Happiness and Goodness is a phenomenal book that offers innovative and penetrating insights into the most fundamental questions of human concern, such as happiness, love, morality, death, and God. Drawing from a vast array of philosophical, religious, and literary sources, Steven M. Cahn and Christine Vitrano brilliantly challenge long-standing assumptions about what it means to live a satisfying and successful life. They also have an uncanny ability to transmit their ideas in a vivid and enjoyable fashion by providing colorful vignettes and everyday life stories. I, for one, could not put the book down.

Andrea Tschemplik, American University:
Happiness and Goodness reminds me of a Socratic dialogue. The absence of jargon and use of realistic examples in this book make philosophy accessible to all interested in improving their lives.

Frontmatter Free access PDF PDF	i
CONTENTS Free access PDF PDF	v
Foreword Robert B. Talisse Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	ix
Preface Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	xvii
1. INTRODUCTION Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	1
2. WASTED LIVES? Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	3
3. PROJECTS OF WORTH? Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	7
4. FLOURISHING? Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	12
5. THINGS THAT MATTER? Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	16
6. MORALITY AND HAPPINESS Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	20
7. MORALITY AND UNHAPPINESS Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	25
8. CHARACTER Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	29
9. APPEARING MORAL Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	32
10. GOD AND MORALITY Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	36
11. HEAVEN AND HELL Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	40
12. MORAL JUDGMENTS Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	44
13. MORAL STANDARDS Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	50
14. CHOOSING THE EXPERIENCE MACHINE Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	56
15. HAPPINESS AND IGNORANCE Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	63
16. ASSESSING ACHIEVEMENT Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	67
17. PLEASURES AND PAINS Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	70
18. FEAR OF THE DIVINE Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	74
19. FEAR OF UNFULFILLED DESIRES Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	78
20. FEAR OF DEATH Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	82
21. FUTILITY Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	86
22. LIVING WELL Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	90
23. SATISFACTION Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	94
24. CONCLUDING QUESTIONS Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	97
Notes Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	101
Index Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	111
About the Authors Access restricted Content is available PDF PDF	115

Happiness and Goodness

Philosophical Reflections on Living Well

Details

Formats