The Philosophy Café

This month's topic is "Is Happiness an Appropriate Goal?"

Thinkers from the Dalai Lama to John Stuart Mill have affirmed that happiness is, and should be, the goal in life, but are they right? Writers in the tradition of the French Psychoanalytical theorist Jacques Lacan, have argued that the pursuit of happiness will inevitably fail, and that happiness, like being high on drugs, is an inherently dishonest state of mind. Happiness, they argue, would constitute a satisfaction with life, that is only possible, if an individual disavows their true Desire. Human desire, they argue, derives from our finite being, and is therefore incapable of being satisfied. In reality, the disavowal of Desire can only, they argue, lead to depression. The prevalence of depression in our society derives, they argue, from the disavowal of Desire inherent in the pursuit of happiness.  

What is happiness?

What do we truly desire and could we ever fulfill our true desires? 

Is it ethically wrong to fulfill desires that could not be fulfilled?

Does self-delusion vitiate the value of happiness?

Readings:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/13/happiness-and-its-discontents/http://www.alternet.org/story/146940/barbara_ehrenreich%3A_why_forced_positive_thinking_is_a_total_crock?page=0%2C4http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/happiness/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U88jj6PSD7w  

Zizek on happiness http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/tim-lott-youve-got-to-fight-for-your-right-to-frown-7984910.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqhWiohr_gQ  

More zizek on happiness http://www.bhavanasociety.org/resource/buddhist_concept_of_happiness/

http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0016.html