Happiness and Goodness
Philosophical Reflections on Living Well
1 of 1 copy available
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.
“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.”—Andrea Tschemplik, American University
“This crisply written and incisive book draws on ancient thought and contemporary examples to develop a compelling account of living well.”—David Shatz, Yeshiva University
“I can’t remember the last time I read a book about ethics that was so fascinating.”—Ed Lake, deputy editor, Aeon
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
June 9, 2015 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780231539364
- File size: 406 KB
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780231539364
- File size: 963 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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May 1, 2015
Cahn (philosophy, Graduate Ctr., City Univ. of New York; Fate, Logic, and Time) and Vitrano (philosophy, Brooklyn Coll.; The Nature and Value of Happiness) present an exploration of the relationship between happiness and morality. In the book's forward, Robert B. Talisse explains that for many of us, happiness is not merely a Rawlsian primary good (or a good everyone would want) but is intrinsically valuable. This book seeks to explore happiness and its theoretical relationship with living a virtuous, moral life. It is comprised of 24 short, semi-interconnected chapters, of which most explore a concept, argument, or thought experiment in the contemporary analytic tradition. With the exception of the introductory section, each chapter references contemporary philosophical work in ethics, philosophy of religion, and political philosophy. The material explores a number of deep philosophical problems and thought experiments in a way accessible to a nonacademic audience. The authors take care to note that the conclusions they reach are not unanimously accepted, and there is room for debate. VERDICT Although the text is short with a relatively small scope of inquiry, and many of the ideas explored here were developed more fully in academic articles in philosophy journals, this volume serves as an excellent introduction to the philosophical analysis of happiness. Recommended for all libraries.--William Simkulet, Univ. of Wisconsin-Marshfield/Wood Cty., Marshfield
Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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