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Happiness: What is it to be Happy?
Author: Kiki Berk Category: Ethics , Phenomenology and Existentialism Words: 992
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Do you want to be happy? If you’re like most people, then yes, you do.
But what is happiness? What does it mean to be “happy”? [1]
This essay discusses four major philosophical theories of happiness. [2]
1. Hedonism
According to hedonism, happiness is simply the experience of pleasure. [3] A happy person has a lot more pleasure than displeasure (pain) in her life. To be happy, then, is just to feel good. In other words, there’s no difference between being happy and feeling happy.
Famous hedonists include the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus and the modern English philosophers Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. [4] These philosophers all took happiness to include intellectual pleasures (such as reading a book) in addition to physical pleasures (such as having sex).
Although we associate being happy with feeling good, many philosophers think that hedonism is mistaken.
First, it’s possible to be happy without feeling good (such as when a happy person has a toothache), and it’s also possible to feel good without being happy (such as when an unhappy person gets a massage). Since happiness and pleasure can come apart, they can’t be the same thing.
Second, happiness and pleasure seem to have different properties. Pleasures are often fleeting, simple, and superficial (think of the pleasure involved in eating ice cream), whereas happiness is supposed to be lasting, complex, and profound. Things with different properties can’t be identical, so happiness can’t be the same thing as pleasure.
These arguments suggest that happiness and pleasure aren’t identical. That being said, it’s hard to imagine a happy person who never feels good. So, perhaps happiness involves pleasure without being identical to it.
2. Virtue Theory
According to virtue theory, happiness is the result of cultivating the virtues—both moral and intellectual—such as wisdom, courage, temperance, and patience. A happy person must be sufficiently virtuous. To be happy, then, is to cultivate excellence and to flourish as a result. This view is famously held by Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics. [5]
Linking happiness to virtue has the advantage of treating happiness as a lasting, complex, and profound phenomenon. It also explains how happiness and pleasure can come apart, since a person can be virtuous without feeling good, and a person can feel good without being virtuous.
In spite of these advantages, however, virtue theory is questionable. An important part of being virtuous is being morally good. But are immoral people always unhappy? Arguably not. Many bad people seem happy in spite of—or even because of—their unsavory actions. And a similar point can be made about intellectual virtue: unwise or irrational people aren’t always unhappy, either. In fact, some of these people seem happy as a direct result of their intellectual deficiencies. “Ignorance is bliss,” the saying goes!
But virtue theorists have a response here. Maybe some immoral people seem happy, on the surface; but that doesn’t mean that they are truly happy, at some deeper level. And the same thing can be said about people who lack the intellectual virtues: ignorance may lead to bliss, but that bliss isn’t true happiness. So, there seems to be some room for debate on these issues.
3. Desire Satisfaction Theory
According to the desire satisfaction theory, happiness consists in getting what you want—whatever that happens to be. A happy person has many of her desires satisfied; and the more her desires are satisfied, the happier she is.
Even though getting what you want can be a source of happiness, identifying happiness with desire satisfaction is problematic.
To start, this implies that the only way to become happier is by satisfying a desire. This seems wrong. Sometimes our happiness is increased by getting something we didn’t previously want—such as a surprise birthday party or getting stuck taking care of a neighbor’s cat. This implies that desire satisfaction is not necessary for happiness.
Desire satisfaction is not always sufficient for happiness, either. Unfortunately, it is common for people to feel disappointed when they get what they want. Many accomplishments, such as earning a degree or winning a tournament, simply don’t bring the long-lasting happiness that we expect. [6]
So, even if getting what we want sometimes makes us happy, these counterexamples suggest that happiness does not consist in desire satisfaction. [7]
4. Life Satisfaction Theory
According to the life satisfaction theory, happiness consists in being satisfied with your life. A happy person has a positive impression of her life in general, even though she might not be happy about every single aspect of it. To be happy, then, means to be content with your life as a whole.
It’s controversial whether life satisfaction is affective (a feeling) or cognitive (a belief). On the one hand, life satisfaction certainly comes with positive feelings. On the other hand, it’s possible to step back, reflect on your life, and realize that it’s good, even when you’re feeling down. [8]
One problem for this theory is that it’s difficult for people to distinguish how they feel in the moment from how they feel about their lives overall. Studies have shown that people report feeling more satisfied with their lives when the weather is good, even though this shouldn’t make that much of a difference. But measuring life satisfaction is complicated, so perhaps such studies should be taken with a grain of salt. [9]
5. Conclusion
Understanding what happiness is should enable you to become happier.
First, decide which theory of happiness you think is true, based on the arguments.
Second, pursue whatever happiness is according to that theory: seek pleasure and try to avoid pain (hedonism), cultivate moral and intellectual virtue (virtue theory), decide what you really want and do your best to get it (desire satisfaction theory), or change your life (or your attitude about it) so you feel (or believe) that it’s going well (life satisfaction theory).
And if you’re not sure which theory of happiness is true, then you could always try pursuing all of these things. 😊
[1] This might seem like an empirical (scientific) question rather than a philosophical one. However, this essay asks the conceptual question of what happiness is, and conceptual questions belong to philosophy, not to science.
[2] Happiness is commonly distinguished from “well-being,” i.e., the state of a life that is worth living. Whether or not happiness is the same thing as well-being is an open question, but most philosophers think it isn’t. See, for example, Haybron (2020).
[3] The word “hedonism” has different uses in philosophy. In this paper, it means that happiness is the same thing as pleasure (hedonism about happiness). But sometimes it is used to mean that happiness is the only thing that has intrinsic value (hedonism about value) or that humans are always and only motivated by pleasure (psychological hedonism). It’s important not to confuse these different uses of the word.
[4] For more on Epicurus and happiness, see Konstan (2018). For more on Bentham and Mill on happiness, see Driver (2014), as well as John Stuart Mill on The Good Life: Higher-Quality Pleasures by Dale E. Miller and Consequentialism by Shane Gronholz
[5] For more on Plato and happiness, see Frede (2017); for more on Aristotle and happiness, see Kraut (2018), and on the Stoics and happiness, see Baltzly (2019).
[6] For a discussion of the phenomenon of disappointment in this context see, for example, Ben Shahar (2007).
[7] For more objections to the desire satisfaction theory, see Shafer-Landau (2018) and Vitrano (2013).
[8] If happiness is life satisfaction, then happiness seems to be “subjective” in the sense that a person cannot be mistaken about whether or not she is happy. Whether happiness is subjective in this sense is controversial, and a person who thinks that a person can be mistaken about whether or not she is happy will probably favor a different theory of happiness.
[9] See Weimann, Knabe and Schob (2015) and Berk (2018).
Baltzly, Dirk, “Stoicism”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2019 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).
Berk, Kiki (2018). “Does Money Make Us Happy? The Prospects and Problems of Happiness Research in Economics,” in Journal of Happiness Studies, 19, 1241-1245.
Ben-Shahar, Tal (2007). Happier . New York: McGraw-Hill.
Driver, Julia, “The History of Utilitarianism”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2014 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).
Frede, Dorothea, “Plato’s Ethics: An Overview”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2017 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).
Haybron, Dan, “Happiness”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2020 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).
Konstan, David, “Epicurus”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2018 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).
Kraut, Richard, “Aristotle’s Ethics”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2018 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.).
Shafer-Landau, Russ (2018). The Ethical Life: Fundamental Readings in Ethics and Moral Problems. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Vitrano, Christine (2013). The Nature and Value of Happiness. Boulder: Westview Press.
Weimann, Joachim, Andreas Knabe, and Ronnie Schob (2015). Measuring Happiness . Cambridge: The MIT Press.
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About the Author
Dr. Kiki Berk is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Southern New Hampshire University. She received her Ph.D. in Philosophy from the VU University Amsterdam in 2010. Her research focuses on Beauvoir’s and Sartre’s philosophies of death and meaning in life.
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Happiness Essay for Students and Children
500+ words essay on happiness.
Happiness is something which we can’t describe in words it can only be felt from someone’s expression of a smile. Likewise, happiness is a signal or identification of good and prosperous life. Happiness is very simple to feel and difficult to describe. Moreover, happiness comes from within and no one can steal your happiness.
Can Money Buy You Happiness?
Every day we see and meet people who look happy from the outside but deep down they are broken and are sad from the inside. For many people, money is the main cause of happiness or grief. But this is not right. Money can buy you food, luxurious house, healthy lifestyle servants, and many more facilities but money can’t buy you happiness.
And if money can buy happiness then the rich would be the happiest person on the earth. But, we see a contrary image of the rich as they are sad, fearful, anxious, stressed, and suffering from various problems.
In addition, they have money still they lack in social life with their family especially their wives and this is the main cause of divorce among them.
Also, due to money, they feel insecurity that everyone is after their money so to safeguard their money and them they hire security. While the condition of the poor is just the opposite. They do not have money but they are happy with and stress-free from these problems.
In addition, they take care of their wife and children and their divorce rate is also very low.
Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas
Happiness Comes from Within
As we now know that we can’t buy happiness with money and there is no other shortcut to happiness. It is something that you feel from within.
In addition, true happiness comes from within yourself. Happiness is basically a state of mind.
Moreover, it can only be achieved by being positive and avoiding any negative thought in mind. And if we look at the bright side of ourselves only then we can be happy.
Happiness in a Relationship
People nowadays are not satisfied with their relationship because of their differences and much other reason. But for being happy in a relationship we have to understand that there are some rules or mutual understanding that keeps a relationship healthy and happy.
Firstly, take care of yourself then your partner because if you yourself are not happy then how can you make your partner happy.
Secondly, for a happy and healthy relationship give you partner some time and space. In addition, try to understand their feeling and comfort level because if you don’t understand these things then you won’t be able to properly understand your partner.
Most importantly, take initiative and plan to go out with your partner and family. Besides, if they have plans then go with them.
To conclude, we can say that happiness can only be achieved by having positive thinking and enjoying life. Also, for being happy and keeping the people around us happy we have to develop a healthy relationship with them. Additionally, we also have to give them the proper time.
FAQs about Happiness
Q.1 What is True Happiness? A.1 True happiness means the satisfaction that you find worthy. The long-lasting true happiness comes from life experience, a feeling of purpose, and a positive relationship.
Q.2 Who is happier the rich or the poor and who is more wealthy rich or poor? A.2 The poor are happier then the rich but if we talk about wealth the rich are more wealthy then the poor. Besides, wealth brings insecurity, anxiety and many other problems.
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Happiness Essay | Essay on Happiness for Students and Children in English
February 12, 2024 by Prasanna
Happiness Essay: There is no one hard and fast definition for the term happiness. Happiness differs from person to person; different people have different perceptions and conceptions of being happy. Whatever that may be, Happiness is an essential feature of human life. Without it, life holds no meaning at all. It is not possible at all for a person to live their lives devoid of joy and Happiness.
The topic of Happiness is of the utmost importance. It is also treated as a crucial and popular topic on which students are asked to write compositions. For the convenience of school students, we have compiled a collection of one extended Essay and one short Essay on the topic of Happiness. Additionally, a set of ten lines on the subject is also provided.
You can read more Essay Writing about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.
Long and Short Essays on Happiness for Students and Kids in English
Below, you can find a 600-word Happiness essay as well as a 200-word Happiness essay for students and schoolchildren. Long Essay on Happiness is helpful for students of classes 7,8,9 and 10. Short Essay on Happiness is helpful for students of classes 1,2,3,4,5, and 6.
Long Essay on Happiness 500 Words in English
Happiness is subjective. There is no one way in which the term can be defined. For different people, Happiness holds different connotations. For some, it implies a state of mind; for others, it might mean a standard of lifestyle. Each human being is an independent, free-thinking individual. Everyone has an outlook on life that is different from the other. Hence, the definition of Happiness is also variable for people. However, whatever may be the definition of Happiness, there is no denying that Happiness is an integral part of our lives. Without it, there is no point in living or going about in life.
There is a common phrase that goes: “Money cannot buy happiness.” To some extent, it can be heralded as being valid. However, some people may find it to be false. For a specific section of society, Happiness is defined by wealth. These people tend to consider wealth as the measuring rod for their joys in life. For them, Happiness in life comes from material possession and well-being. Riches, money, jewels, gold, and wealth make them happy; they remain content with these in their lives.
For another section of society, wealth does not act as the agent for Happiness in their lives. Many consider Happiness to be a peaceful and calm sense of joy that occurs within one’s mind. For them, it cannot be measured in terms of worldly things. Happiness tends to become a feeling, that can be grasped through the satisfaction of the mind and soul, and not through the pleasure of the body. Happiness, for some, can also imply success. Being ambitious, hardworking, and successful often become ways in which a person obtains Happiness in life.
Whatever be our modes and methods of becoming happy, it tends to keep changing over time. No feeling is absolute. It might happen that the things used to make us comfortable during our childhood, no longer hold the same significance in our lives. This happens because our priorities and our goals change over time. As we grow up, our outlook and vision in life mature, and we no longer base our Happiness on things we used to love previously.
Thus the state of being happy largely depends upon what a particular person wants from life. It depends upon a person’s desires and goals in life. Above all and in most cases, indulging in the things that one loves the most becomes the key to a happy life. Hence, love and Happiness are directly linked. Without love, Happiness does not persist. Likewise, without Happiness, love does not persist.
As mentioned, a variety of things make a variety of people happy. There is no right or wrong way to obtain Happiness. Different people have different methods by which they can derive Happiness. All of them are valid; none of them are false or incorrect. Judging people based on what they love and what they hate is not justifiable. We all have different priorities in life, and not all of those are similar. They can be different, but that doesn’t mean they are wrong. Doing anything that makes one feel happy inside out should be considered as valid and rightful.
Short Essay on Happiness 150 Words in English
The key to happiness lies in doing what one loves. A lot of people end up having a remorseful life, filled with regrets; this happens because they settle for something that they do not genuinely like. Irrespective of what the society imposes on us, we must indulge in only that which makes us feel happy and joyous.
One cannot achieve complete and untainted happiness. Someone can’t dwell in a state of utmost bliss and Happiness. All of us have our fair share of miseries and regrets in life. But there also occurs moments of indefinite and immeasurable joys. We should all cling to those moments of joy and cherish them wholeheartedly to have a happy life in the grand scheme of things.
10 Lines on Happiness Essay in English
- A happy life exudes positivity and joy.
- Different people hold different opinions on Happiness.
- Not everyone has a similar point of interest from which they derive Happiness.
- Happiness is directly linked with love and positivity.
- In an ideal situation, doing what one loves is the ultimate path to absolute Happiness.
- The fulfillment of personal goals and desires makes one happy.
- It is immensely important for a person to lead a happy life.
- Without a happy life, one becomes exhausted and tired of daily routine.
- The feeling of Happiness is not constant. It is lingering.
- Happiness is subjective and cannot be tied to one particular thing alone.
FAQ’s on Happiness Essay
Question 1. How to lead a happy life?
Answer: To lead a happy life, one must dwell in a positive and encouraging environment. Taking up that which one loves doing as one’s profession and source of livelihood is also the key to a happy life.
Question 2. How to stay happy?
Answer: There is no hard and fast method of staying happy. One cannot remain satisfied all the time. We all have our depressing and sorrowful episodes. But life also gives us moments of joy and Happiness.
Question 3. Is Happiness important?
Answer: Yes. Happiness is important. Happiness Is probably the most significant aspect of one’s life.
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