Philosophy 250HG - Topics in Philosophy: 'Happiness and The Good Life'

Philosophers through the ages have asked about the nature of happiness and its contribution to the 'good life.' Happiness is something we all want, but what is it? And why do we all want it so much? What makes us happy and why? Is a 'good life' also a happy one? This course will examine happiness from several different perspectives. We will look at what both ancient and contemporary philosophers have said about the nature and importance of happiness in our lives. We will also look at some recent work in positive psychology and think about how that empirical work augments, challenges or contrasts with the philosophical accounts. This is a writing-intensive course that focuses on developing skills in philosophical reading, analysis, and writing.