If happiness is a good, or the good, then what is it? If its living in accord with our nature, then what is our nature?

The function of an axe is to cut. To be a "good" axe is to cut well. I think Aristotle would say that the soul or nature of a human is thinking, what normally gets translated as "reason."

So to be happy, we should live in accordance with our function -- with reason; with the goals that one decides on; with virtue.

I've always liked that picture.

Happiness, then, has nothing to do with feelings of pleasure or joy, or a good time. It's a life-long pursuit, and we can't determine whether one has lived a happy life until it's completed.

I like that formulation too. Nietzsche's isn't bad either, really.

Anyway, this was my plan for this thread. Didn't quite go as I expected. Oh well! I moved it to the lounge, so feel free to continue posting whatever you'd like.

Happiness, then, has nothing to do with feelings of pleasure or joy, or a good time. It's a life-long pursuit, and we can't determine whether one has lived a happy life until it's completed. — Mikie

You should have started with the ending post. :)

There is something to the notion that happiness is not ephemeral. Happiness is achieved through the day-to-day, not within a single day. I can have a bad day and continue to be happy. I can feel sad about a particular thing and still continue to be happy.

However, I think I'd say that a notion of happiness that requires us to live the entirety of life isn't very useful for those of us who want to be happy. We're not going to be around at the end of it all to make a judgment -- that would be a judgment for the historians or philosophers.

Feelings, I think, are an important part of happiness, though, while pleasure isn't simple. "Joy" I think gets much closer to happiness than our lexical "pleasure" or "good time". The pleasure of happiness is consistent between various pleasures and pains -- it's more of an overall satisfaction with the way things are for oneself than immediate pleasure and pain. And satisfaction is at least partially dependent upon what a person wants.

So if you want something aside from basic pleasures and pains -- say, goodness, or justice, or power -- and you don't have those things, you will be unhappy. Even if your basic needs are met your mind will gravitate towards the things you want and the opposite of happiness will occur. It's not exactly displeasure, but frustration.

You should have started with the ending post. :) — Moliere

I know. It made sense when I started— I had it all planned out. I botched it.

Oh I wouldn't be that harsh on yourself. I was saying, here's the OP! You got there! I found something I could say and respond to in it, at least.

I am not usually happy in summertime. I don't like this season. It is full of days with high temperatures and sweating is disgusting. But June is being acceptable this year. We have been having 'summer storms' since this past Monday in Madrid.

Yet I am still negative towards summer. July and August will be like a boiled pot...

'Happiness', I think (ime), corresponds to freedom from fear and pain. Sometimes I'm happy; most of the time, however, I'm striving to be (briefly) happy again.

:death: :flower:

I'm happy when I pay attention and make the effort to be happy. Most of the time that means striving to be a better man. For instance, it means not being snappy when I'm tired and then I get all the warmth and attention from the kids to last me a life time.

So to be happy, we should live in accordance with our function -- with reason; with the goals that one decides on; with virtue. — Mikie

Do you truly believe we all have a 'function'? In what context? To what end? An axe is designed by a human tool-maker for the purpose of cutting wood, as the human requires wood. So the function of a human must be determined by an intelligent designer for that designer's own requirement.

Happiness, then, has nothing to do with feelings of pleasure or joy, or a good time. It's a life-long pursuit, and we can't determine whether one has lived a happy life until it's completed. — Mikie

I don't at all like being nothing more than a tool that is judged good or bad according to some god's whim, once I'm dead.

I'm far, far happier with a notion of a good life centered on my own proclivities, needs, abilities and desires. After all, it's my life, not Allah's or Jesus's or Aristotle's. I'm the only one qualified to judge whether it's been painless (9 out of 10) successful (7), useful (8) virtuous (7) enjoyable (6) and fulfilling (8). On the whole, I've reached this point where there is not much left to fear except the last slide down. There is a freedom in that that can be added to the overall life satisfaction.

'Happiness', I think (ime), corresponds to freedom from fear and pain. Sometimes I'm happy; most of the time, however, I'm striving to be (briefly) happy again. — 180 Proof

That's good. I was going to say something similar about happiness being free of stress and anxiety (pain?). I wonder if we sometimes confuse happiness with joy - which is a great, big electrical experience and this I also feel quite regularly. Happiness seems to be a by-product of other things and not an end goal of its own.

Happiness is a distillation: freedom from pain and stress, with regular infusions of satisfaction, comfort, companionship, love, plus the odd unexpected shot of exuberance, hilarity, joy, awe, wonder and even, if you're very, very lucky, ecstasy.

I wonder if we sometimes confuse happiness with joy — Tom Storm

I think so. I often experience joy listening to music, reading, creating, orgasming, helping someone in non-trivial ways and from long vigor walks/hikes even when I'm not happy.

ecstasy — Vera Mont

Yes, sobriety's ego-suspending flow state that's sometimes joyful too.

:up: